《Captivated by the deadly mafia boss》


 1

    Kasia


    ¡°He¡¯s here!¡± Diana shuts my bedroom door and presses her back against it. Her cheeks are pale, her chest is rising and falling rapidly.


    ¡°Have you talked to him?¡± I scoot off my bed. She shakes her head; tears well up in her soft brown eyes.


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± She covers her mouth.


    I go to her, pull her into a hug. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Diana. We¡¯ll figure a way out of this. Dad can¡¯t do this; Mom won¡¯t let him.¡± I pat her back while she winds her arms around my middle.


    This isn¡¯t new. Meforting my twin sister over something our father has done.


    ¡°He¡¯s already done it. Mr. Staszek is here too. They have a contractid out on the desk. They¡¯re talking about this like I¡¯m a prized cow.¡± She lets go of me and runs her hands over her cheeks. Tears have stained her face.


    ¡°A contract?¡± My stomach turns. It¡¯s not real, it can¡¯t be. What judge would uphold an agreement like this?


    ¡°Yes.¡± She walks across my room, twisting her hands together. ¡°Mom¡¯s not even home. She left. She left me to do this on my own.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± I defend. ¡°If she¡¯s not here, it¡¯s because he made her leave.¡±


    Diana nods, rubbing her temple. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry, Kasia. I¡¯m losing my mind here. This can¡¯t be happening. It just can¡¯t be.¡±


    She¡¯s in no state to go down there and deal with our father. With the Staszek men. Her hair is wound up in a tight bun and she¡¯s dressed in a soft blue romper.


    ¡°Has Dad seen you already?¡± I ask her as I make my way to my vanity.


    ¡°What? Yes. He¡¯s the one that told me they were here. I¡¯m supposed to be waiting in the living room, but I had toe up here. I had to get away from it for a moment.¡± Fat, fresh tears roll down her cheeks again.


    ¡°Okay,e here, get out of that romper.¡± I sit at my vanity and pull out the pins needed to get my hair wound up like hers. I hate having my hair twisted up the way she does, but no choice for it now.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Staszek won¡¯t know the difference. Give me your romper,¡± I say urgently. If she¡¯s supposed to be waiting in the living room, it means they¡¯ll be calling her soon. We don¡¯t have much time to make the switch.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t second grade, Kasia. We can¡¯t do this.¡± She rolls the romper over her hips as she argues with me.


    I finish with thest pin and quickly change out of my t-shirt and leggings and into her outfit.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°You can¡¯t go down there sobbing. It will show weakness, and men like them, they feed off it,¡± I say, repeating the words of our father.


    She wipes her nose with the back of her hand. ¡°Kasia. I¡¯m the older one, I¡¯m supposed to protect you, not the other way around.¡±


    I work thest button in ce, then go back to my vanity to swipe on makeup. Diana favors blues; I dig out an eyeshadow pallet and get to work.


    ¡°You¡¯re older by six minutes,¡± I say as I finish thest of my mascara. ¡°Let me do this for you. I will deal with Dad and the Staszeks, and you stay up here. Out of sight.¡± I squeeze her shoulders.


    She sniffles. ¡°Okay. Okay.¡± She nods. ¡°Thank you, Kasia.¡±


    I smile. ¡°What are twins for?¡±


    I leave her to hide away in my room and make my way quickly down to the living room. I¡¯m just sitting down on the couch when Mr. Marcowski, Dad¡¯s new attorney,es to fetch me.


    With a cleansing breath, a quick mental prayer, I follow him down the hall to where my father is waiting.


    I hate my father¡¯s office. It¡¯s never been a room that created any pleasant memories for me. This is no different.


    ¡°This must be Diana.¡± An older man I assume is Joseph Staszek smiles at me. His face is squishy, like he¡¯s recently lost a lot of weight and his skin hasn¡¯t snapped back into ce. He inclines his head in greeting but doesn¡¯te toward me.


    ¡°Diana.¡± My father says the name with contempt. The way he speaks my own name. He knows. To call me out on my trickery would embarrass him in front of these men, and he won¡¯t do that. But he¡¯ll deal with meter.


    ¡°Diana, this is Mr. Joseph Staszek. And this is Dominik Staszek, his son, your intended.¡±


    Intended. Sometimes I wonder if my father even understands the modern world. He¡¯s so entrenched with old rituals and rules; he sounds as outdated as the furniture in his office.


    ¡°Mr. Staszek.¡± I force a smile for him. Diana is more civil than me, more polite. She wouldn¡¯t offend anyone in this room, and even with my father aware of the switch, I don¡¯t want to make her first impression to these men a bad one.


    When I move my gaze to Dominik to greet him, a chill runs down my back. He¡¯s not my age. He looks well past high school years. His hair is cut on the long side, and his beard is well trimmed. It¡¯s his eyes that give me pause. Ice blue.


    ¡°Dominik,¡± I say quietly and avert my gaze. He¡¯s dressed in a ck suit with a regal blue shirt, no tie. His hands are tucked into his cks, but even with his position I can see the muscles beneath his clothing.


    ¡°Diana.¡± He inclines his head. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°The contract has been worked out; we only need your signature, then you can go up to your room. I know you have a lot of homework to get to,¡± my father says. He¡¯s referring to the biology report I haven¡¯tpleted. The tutor my mother made him hire is nothing more than a tattletale.


    Mr. Marcowski walks to the desk and turns it toward me, holding out a pen for me. I swallow hard beneath the stare of all four of them on me. Diana would have crumbled in this room. She would have fallen into a fit of sobs. Being made to sign away your future can do that to a sixteen-year-old girl.


    I glide across the room, my chin held high and snatch the pen from his hand. The attorney points to thest empty line at the bottom of the paper. Everyone else has already scribbled their names.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to read it. Just sign,¡± my father snaps at me. I clear my throat as a way to keep frommenting back, then put the pen to the paper.


    Easily the pen glides over the paper as I scrawl my sister¡¯s name on the line. Signing away her future. Signing away any chance she had of falling in love the way a girl is supposed to.


    ¡°Good!¡± Mr. Staszek ps his hands together in celebration. He should be happy, from what I was able to glimpse of the contract his family stands to inherit all of my father¡¯s businesses upon his death. There is no son to pass the business onto, this is the next best thing.


    ¡°They will be happy, back home,¡± Mr. Staszek says. ¡°This little feud-it¡¯s over,¡± he says and waves over at Dominik. ¡°Why don¡¯t you escort your bride for a few minutes.¡±


    Dominik gives a slight nod.


    What feud are they talking about?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Diana.¡± Dominik touches my arm when he gets close enough. The way he says the name, it¡¯s bitter. Is he as unhappy about this arrangement as Diana is?


    ¡°I¡¯ll be up to talk with youter,¡± my father calls to me as we reach the door. I don¡¯t bother to acknowledge him. He can add it to the list of things he¡¯ll punish me for. I don¡¯t care.


    Dominik towers over me as we walk down the hall.


    ¡°I can walk myself, thanks,¡± I say to him as we get to the stairs. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have things to do.¡±


    He grabs my hand as I step onto the stairs and pulls me around to look down at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re not Diana,¡± he uses.


    I school my features. ¡°Why would you say that?¡±


    ¡°Because I saw Diana scurry like a scared mouse when we arrived. She wasn¡¯t wearing any earrings, and she was wearing white sandals.¡± He gives a pointed look at the ck flip flops. I forgot the shoes.


    ¡°Does it matter? You got what you came for. A signature,¡± I say, pulling my hand from his. It¡¯s too big, too powerful. ¡°How old are you?¡± If we¡¯re skirting small talk, I¡¯d like some information.


    ¡°Twenty-five,¡± he says with a grin. ¡°You¡¯re sixteen. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t im your sister until after she¡¯s graduated high school. She¡¯s a free bird until then.¡± He ces one hand on the banister and leans on it. ¡°Tell her, I expect her to be at the wedding. And if I were you, Kasia, I¡¯d teach her a bit more about bravery. She¡¯s going to need it.¡± He winks, then pushes away from the stairs, pockets his hands, and saunters back down the hall toward the office.


    Whistling.


    The asshole is whistling.


    I run up the stairs to my room.


    Two years. I have two years to find a way for my sister to get out of this marriage.


    Because my sister will never survive being married to a man as cold as him.

 2

    Kasia


    It¡¯s four in the morning when I arrive home. My feet throb from the insanely tight shoes I stuffed them into for the night. I¡¯m going to have blisters for days. My eyelids are heavy, and all I want is my bed. I haven¡¯t stayed out thiste in too long of a time. I may sleep the rest of the weekend away.


    My father¡¯s driver pulls up to the front steps of the house, parking behind a ck SUV. I don¡¯t recognize the car, but I¡¯m too tired to really care.


    A girl from school threw a graduation bash in the city at a dance club. It wasn¡¯t my scene. I don¡¯t go out often, rarely actually. Making friends isn¡¯t worth the hassle anymore. But her father knows mine, so it was more of a demand that I go instead of a suggestion for some fun.


    Four years of college, and I¡¯m still being bossed around by daddy. It¡¯s pathetic.


    I carry my shoes with me up the steps to the house. The porch light¡¯s on and two of my father¡¯s men are standing at the door, waiting.


    ¡°Evening boys,¡± I wink at them as I pass them into the house. They don¡¯t smile. To show me any kindness would probably earn them a beatdown.


    I can¡¯t me them.


    ¡°Kasia.¡± Mr. Marcowski steps out of my father¡¯s office further down the hallway. He doesn¡¯t move toward me, but rather beckons me toward him. ¡°Your father would like you in his office.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I ask. I just want to go to bed.


    ¡°Your father wants you,¡± he repeats himself.


    I¡¯ve been out all night, doing what my father told me to do. How much trouble could I have caused him while doing exactly what he wanted from me?


    ¡°Is someone here?¡± I ask, noting two more men standing outside my father¡¯s office. They aren¡¯t his men. These two are younger, more severe looking. No, they¡¯re obviously not in their own territory.


    My heart is already beating too fast in my chest. I steel my features. It¡¯s not much, but it¡¯s all I have. I take a cleansing breath and wipe my palms on my hips before walking into the office.


    Whatever his problem is, I¡¯ll deal with like I always do. And then I¡¯ll move on.


    Once inside the brightly lit study, I stop. Marcowski enters behind me and closes the door. The loud thud of it shakes my insides.


    My father sits behind his massive desk, drumming his fingers on the arms of his chair. He hates waiting, and apparently, I¡¯mte for a meeting I didn¡¯t know about.


    Off to the right of my father stands a man. A familiar man.


    Dominik Staszek.


    My heart trips over itself when I recognize him. He¡¯s aged, but haven¡¯t we all. The years have made him fiercer, at least in appearance. Where he seemed serious before, he looks downright dangerous now.


    His hands are stuffed into the pockets of his trousers. His hair is slicked back from his face. He scans my appearance, as though taking stock of me. How much have I changed in the six years we haven¡¯t seen each other? The years that I¡¯ve almost forgotten about him.


    There¡¯s no point for him anymore.


    Not since the ident.


    My throat dries as the tension in the room builds.


    ¡°Kasia.¡± My father finally breaks the silence. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be home earlier.¡± Anyone who doesn¡¯t know Marcin Garska would think he sounds casual, but I know my father. He¡¯s annoyed.


    ¡°I was downtown at the graduation party, like you¡­ suggested. I didn¡¯t realize you needed me home at a specific time.¡± My eyes wander from my father to the serious man still ring at me. I avoid his pale eyes and try to assess him in the same manner he did me. He¡¯s wearing a dark gray suit with a ck button-down shirt. No tie and the top button is undone. Every bit of his clothing fits him like it was made specifically for him.


    ¡°You remember Dominik Staszek.¡± My father points to him but doesn¡¯t stand up. And Dominik makes no move toward me. No extended hand or a smile. Just a simple nod of acknowledgement.


    I was never formally introduced to Dominik. Other than the meeting where I posed as my sister, I have never spoken to him. A sadness showers me with the memory.


    I swallow hard. Something¡¯s out of sorts here. Diana isn¡¯t here. She was killed along with our mother in a horrible crash long before she was forced to join hands with him. Dominik shouldn¡¯t be here. He doesn¡¯t need to be here.


    ¡°Yes, I remember,¡± I say, rolling my shoulders back and standing as tall as my spine will allow. Look determined, confident, no matter how much your insides are crumbling.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get to the matter at hand,¡± my father announces. ¡°The arrangement made with Joseph Staszek and his son Dominik stands.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡± I ask, focusing my attention on my father. I can feel Dominik¡¯s stare on me, spreading warmth over my skin.


    ¡°It¡¯s what was decided,¡± my father says.


    ¡°But¡­ how? I mean, the arrangement was for-¡± I hesitate at her name. ¡°Diana isn¡¯t here to keep to the arrangement.¡± I tense my body, willing myself not to show how much her name still affects me.


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware of that,¡± my father snaps at me, and a heavy wave of guilt rushes over me. ¡°But an agreement was made. You¡¯ll honor it.¡± My father looks right into my eyes, not an ounce of empathy crossing over his features.


    ¡°It¡¯s been years, four years past the agreement,¡± I say quickly. Surely that has to mean something. He broke the deal by noting four years ago.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive me for noting sooner.¡± Dominik finally speaks, his voice low, controlled.


    I nce at him, then refocus on my dad. If I ignore him, maybe he¡¯ll go away.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t making any sense. You told me if I stayed, if I went to college and did exactly as you instructed, I would be able to choose for myself. I¡¯ve graduated. I¡¯m free. You said I could move-¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Enough!¡± My father¡¯s eyes widen with his outburst. His lips curl inward, and I can make out the vein in his neck throbbing. This conversation isn¡¯t appropriate in front of Dominik, but he¡¯s brought this on himself. He should have told me sooner. He should have given me a chance to talk to him in private about this.


    I look to Dominik. The man appears utterly bored. He could be staring at paint dry for all I can see on his expression.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± I say softer, unable to tear my gaze away from Dominik.


    ¡°What¡¯s not to understand? You¡¯re marrying Dominik. Simple as that.¡± My father taps his hands on his desk and gets to his feet. He¡¯s made his decision.


    There¡¯s a sound behind me. I turn just as Marcowski opens the office doors. The meeting is over. I¡¯ve been informed and now I¡¯m to just ept it. I¡¯m not supposed to ask questions.


    But I have so many.


    ¡°Go upstairs and pack a bag. Enough for a week.¡± My father points at the open door. ¡°I¡¯ll have the rest of your things sent to you in a few days.¡±


    This gets my attention, and I face my father. ¡°Bag? Why?¡± Although the sick feeling in my stomach tells me I already know the answer.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be staying with me until the ceremony.¡± Dominik answers me but doesn¡¯t move toward me.


    My head whirls. No. My entire life is spinning out of control.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°So many questions,¡± he smiles, but it¡¯s not a kind, gentle smile. It feels like a warning. I¡¯m asking too many questions.


    ¡°It¡¯s for your safety, Kasia,¡± my father says, quieter. ¡°Go. Pack a bag. You¡¯ll be leaving with Dominik. He¡¯s waited nearly all night for you. He shouldn¡¯t need to make a second trip to pick you up.¡±


    And that¡¯s it.


    I¡¯ve been dismissed. Not just from the meeting, but from my home. My life.


    ¡°Do you even know this man?¡± I ask my father. Everything I¡¯ve done over the past four years was to earn my freedom. I went to the school he chose, I roomed with girls he hand-picked. I did everything because after graduation, I¡¯d be free to move out, to start a new life on my own. And he¡¯s pulled the rug right out from beneath my feet. Not so much as a conversation, a warning. Just a simplemand thrown at me like I¡¯m nothing more than a foot soldier.


    No. Less than a foot soldier.


    This is my life.


    My father¡¯s eyes narrow, but I don¡¯t care. I¡¯ll take whatever punishment he wants to dish out; I deserve to know what¡¯s happening to my own life.


    ¡°I know everything I need to know. Now, don¡¯t show Mr. Staszek what a rude girl you can be, go pack your bag.¡± He flicks his hand toward the office doors. He¡¯s dismissed me off hand.


    Our rtionship has strained over the years since the ident. It¡¯s hard for him to look at me. I understand that, I look just like her, so much like mom, too. And my part in it, he¡¯s never forgiven me. It has to hurt, even for a man who values his work over his family. But this is beyond what he¡¯s done before. He¡¯s throwing me into the arms of a stranger.


    Tears threaten, but I turn away before anyone can see. I force my expression to wipe clean of the fear, the sadness.


    ¡°Kasia.¡± Dominik¡¯s voice stops me at the door.


    I turn slightly, waiting for him to continue.


    ¡°It was nice seeing you again.¡±


    My jaw aches, I clench it so tightly.


    I march up to my room. Anger shakes inside me, fear wraps a cold nket around me. But I hold it in, I shove it down. Because there is no other option. This is my life; this is my duty.


    Once safety inside my room, I look around. Nothing here is really mine. Everything can be taken away at a moment¡¯s notice, most of it has been either a punishment or a test.


    I grab a bag from my closet and get to work.


    There are no options for me. It¡¯s not new, but this feels different.


    I¡¯ve been released from the grasp of one monster, only to be thrown into the grips of another.

 3

    Dominik


    ¡°She¡¯lle around,¡± Marcin Garska assures me once his daughter has left the office. I wait until the patter of her bare feet have faded off into silence before I address him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about her,¡± I tell him, moving my hands from my pockets.


    ¡°I warn you, she¡¯s a stubborn girl.¡±


    I raise an eyebrow. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± I say, but I don¡¯t sense any actual worry from him. He looks almost relieved to be rid of her, and if she¡¯s being hauled off to hell, which I¡¯m sure he believes life married to a Staszek would be, all the better to him.


    ¡°I was surprised when your father called.¡± He¡¯s trying to fill the space of time it¡¯s going to take his daughter to stuff a few outfits into a bag.


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± I ask, picking up the photo frame on his desk. It¡¯s a picture of his family. When they were a family. Diana is sitting on Marcin¡¯sp, smiling for the camera while her father wraps his arms around her middle. Kasia, stands between her parents, a forced smile on her lips.


    ¡°Well, I know he¡¯s having some issues-¡±


    ¡°Issues that this alliance will help clear up,¡± I cut him off. He seems to think we don¡¯t know what sort of underhanded shit he¡¯s been pulling over the years. Greasing palms is just part of living in Chicago for men like us, but he¡¯s been doing more. He¡¯s the reason my father¡¯s living in Warsaw right now, hiding from the government. But Marcin thinks he¡¯s too smart to get caught.


    ¡°Yes, of course. My resources are yours. Now that we will be family, we help each other,¡± he says, but bitternessys beneath his words.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be happy to hear that.¡± I put the photograph back on his desk. ¡°Kasia has finished school, you said. What did she finish for?¡±


    ¡°A degree in teaching,¡± he scoffs, like it¡¯s the worst profession someone could have. My own mother was a schoolteacher before she married my father. But a man like Marcin Garska doesn¡¯t appreciate actual work. He¡¯s taken over his family from his father, whereas my father created our strength. He brought the Staszek family name up from nothing. It¡¯s something to be admired, but not to a man like Marcin. To him, we aren¡¯t as skilled, not as powerful. But he¡¯s wrong.


    ¡°And did she pick her degree or did you?¡± I ask, but I already have an idea.


    ¡°I chose for her,¡± he says while raising his chin. ¡°It¡¯s what¡¯s best for her.¡±


    ¡°To earn a degree doing a job you find disgusting?¡± I ask.


    ¡°She wanted to go to college. I let her.¡± He actually thinks he was being generous.


    Walking around his office, I spy another photograph. This time it¡¯s just him and the girls. They are smaller, much younger. Diana isughing, sitting on Marcin¡¯s shoulders, while Kasia, stands beside him, tugging on his shirt.


    My jaw clenches.


    ¡°How is your sister? Your brother?¡± Marcin asks. I turn from the bookshelf where the photo is kept.


    ¡°Both are fine.¡± I don¡¯t want to talk about them. I don¡¯t want to talk to him at all. I check my watch.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be down soon,¡± he promises.


    ¡°I could help her,¡± I suggest.


    ¡°Christopher,¡± Marcin calls toward the door. One of his men steps inside the office. ¡°Get Kasia from her room. Dominik is ready to leave,¡± he states firmly. I don¡¯t miss the bitter way he speaks her name.


    While the man scampers off to fetch my fiance, I turn to the attorney standing in the corner of the room. There¡¯s no need for him here, but Marcin insisted.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°You handle all of the Garska legal issues?¡± I ask him.


    He clears his throat and nods. ¡°Yes, well, I have associates that help from time to time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be sending the agreement over then. Confirmation that the terms have been seen to?¡±


    He flicks his gaze to Marcin, then back. Maybe I should wait while he fetches the documents now.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have them to you by the end of the day,¡± he promises.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s ready,¡± Christopher returns, poking his head into the office.


    I take a look at Marcin. A father should have some reaction to his only child being carted off in the middle of the night. He has none. A figure of stone watching me from behind his damn desk.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be going then. Do you want a moment alone with her?¡± I ask. Shouldn¡¯t a father say goodbye to his daughter? If my sister were in Kasia¡¯s ce-I don¡¯t finish the thought. Joseph Staszek would never allow such an arrangement for his daughter.


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll speak to her tomorrow. Once she¡¯s settled.¡± He pauses. ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep you waiting any longer than you have,¡± he adds. Maybe he senses his reaction isn¡¯t normal.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when she¡¯s¡­ settled,¡± I say, marching from the office.


    Kasia stands at the foot of the staircase. One of my men already has her bag in his hands, waiting for my instructions. I wave him off, and he scurries out to the car to put her things away.


    She¡¯s changed out of the too-tight dress that barely covered her ass into a pair of ck yoga pants and a white t-shirt. The neckline has been torn out, so the shirt is angled. Her left shoulder sticks out. Her hair is loose around her shoulders, the long locks in thick waves. She¡¯s washed off the makeup. There¡¯s a subtle beauty to her. Natural. The darkshes and red lipstick overshadowed it. She looks better this way.


    ¡°Ready?¡± I gesture toward the front door.


    Her brown eyes widen a fraction. Did she think this was all a game? A bluff?


    She casually nces down the hall to where her father is still inside his office. Disappointment crosses her features, but it¡¯s only a flicker. Quickly hidden behind a nk expression.


    Oh, sweetheart, you can¡¯t hide from me that easily.


    She raises her chin and marches out of the house. It¡¯s the walk of the condemned.


    urate for the moment.

 4

    Kasia


    Dominik¡¯s house is outside the city limits, but he told me when he climbed into the SUV after me we have to make a quick stop .


    There¡¯s a familiarity to the neighborhood as the driver turns off of Milwaukee Avenue onto a side street. I recognize the corner building from years ago.


    ¡°Something caught your eye?¡± he asks from beside me. I stiffen at the deep tenor of his voice.


    ¡°That building is familiar,¡± I say, leaning back into my seat. My suitcase has been tucked into the back, but I hug my purse to my chest. Orange hues are peaking on the horizon. The sun will be up soon.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been there?¡± he asks but doesn¡¯t turn to see which building I¡¯m talking about.


    ¡°When I was little.¡±


    ¡°You lived around here then?¡±


    I eye him silently for a long moment. ¡°So many questions,¡± I say, throwing his words back at him. I may have been brought up to know my ce, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t push boundaries.


    His mouth kicks up at the edges.


    He leans closer to me. I can smell the musk of his cologne. It¡¯s not thick and suffocating like some men wear; it¡¯s manly, but subtle.


    ¡°Rule number one. I ask, you answer.¡± He stares at me, those blue eyes of his could burn my skin.


    I have no idea why I¡¯m here, why he would want to make me marry him. And until I do, it¡¯s best to walk a cautious line.


    ¡°We did. Probably a few blocks from here. I was very little; I don¡¯t remember exactly.¡±


    ¡°But you remember that building?¡±


    ¡°My mother took me there for Polish school on the weekends.¡± I remember our house, but I don¡¯t tell him that. Walking down memoryne from such a carefree time in my life doesn¡¯t bring me joy. It¡¯s just a reminder of what was taken from me, from my mother.


    ¡°Polish school?¡± His eyebrows quirk upward. ¡°Your parents didn¡¯t teach you to speak it?¡± From his ent, I can tell he¡¯s a native speaker.


    ¡°My mother didn¡¯t speak Polish, so it was hard. My father worked so much he was rarely home. I can understand better than I can speak it,¡± I exin and look back out the window.


    ¡°Your mother¡¯s not Polish then?¡± he asks, but I get the sense he already knows. He doesn¡¯t strike me as a man who doesn¡¯t know everything before moving forward with a deal. And taking me as his wife is nothing but a business maneuver, I¡¯m sure.


    ¡°She was. My grandfather migrated from Pnd, but my grandmother grew up here in Chicago. They never taught her thenguage,¡± I answer, not giving him more. I¡¯m not in the mood to discuss my family history. ¡°Are we almost at your house?¡± I ask, shifting the bag in myp. My cell phone buzzes from the front pocket and I pull it out.


    ¡°No. We¡¯re making a quick stop then we¡¯ll head home. It¡¯s about a half hour drive once we get on the highway.¡± He leans further over to me as I swipe my phone alive. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± He puts his hand over my screen. His touch is warm when he covers my hand with his.


    I bring my gaze up to his. He¡¯s not looking at my phone, but at me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t what? It¡¯s just a girl from the party, making sure I got home all right.¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡± He easily pulls my phone from my grip and tucks it inside his zer.


    ¡°She¡¯s just a friend,¡± I say, putting my hand out. I want my phone. I haven¡¯t done anything to warrant him taking it away. I haven¡¯t even fought this stupid notion of us getting married.


    ¡°I know that.¡± He pulls his own phone out and taps away on the screen.


    The car slows and then pulls to the side of the street, parking in front of a three-t. A single light is on in the front window of the garden apartment. The driver gets out of the car and walks quietly to the building. Dominik continues his tapping on his damn phone. A shadow, then two, appear in the window, then within a minuteter, the driver is back outside walking to the car, tucking a thick envelope into his jacket. The light goes out in the apartment.


    ¡°Did he have it?¡± Dominik asks without looking up from his phone when the driver gets back inside.


    ¡°Every penny.¡±


    ¡°See.¡± Dominik tucks his phone away. ¡°With the right incentive, they find the money. Have Janusz bring the wife home. I want her back here within the hour,¡± he orders and my mouth dries.


    ¡°You kidnapped someone¡¯s wife?¡± I ask before I can stop myself. Did I think him less capable of evil than my father? They live in the same world, work the same business, but I never saw anything of my father¡¯s work. He sheltered us from all of it. It¡¯s one of the few kindnesses he¡¯s paid me over the years.


    Dominik ignores my question. ¡°It¡¯s going to take a while to get home. You can nap if you¡¯d like. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re tired from your party tonight,¡± he says, looking out the window, away from me.


    I curl my fingers into my palms, pressing my nails into my skin. It hurts, burns, but it floods me with relief. This pain I understand, and I wee it.


    Over the next half hour, I stare out my window at the streemps along the highway. The sun is climbing back into the sky and by the time we turn off the exit, the streetlights have all gone to sleep.


    The front gates of Dominik¡¯s estate open as soon as the car pulls up. After a short drive up a winding driveway, the car pulls up to arge American foursquare house. Flowers bloom in the garden along the front of the house and more in nters hang off the wooden deck. I expected something more¡­ severe looking.


    His door is opened by the driver and he steps out, standing to the side and offering his hand to me. I look from his hand to the house. It¡¯s beautiful. More inviting than the all-brick bungalow that my father lives in, but I don¡¯t let the contrasts in architecture trick me. I¡¯m only moving from one prison to another. And this one has a locked gate around it.


    I slide across the back seat and climb out of the car, ignoring his hand. There¡¯s no need to pretend manners.


    Dominik wraps his hand around my upper arm and leads me forward up the steps. Once inside the house, Dominik is greeted by a simr looking man. He¡¯s a little shorter than Dominik, but his arrogance is just as loud.


    ¡°Jakub, you didn¡¯t have to wait,¡± Dominik says.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be thiste,¡± Jakub says, giving me a cursory nce then moving back to Dominik.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a night.¡± Dominik drops his hand from my arm. The driver of the car brings in my suitcase and Dominik gestures toward the stairs. ¡°Put those in the room next to mine. She¡¯ll stay there for the time being.¡±


    My own room. I suppose I should be grateful, but there¡¯s still a sense of dread bubbling in my stomach. Everything has happened so quickly; I¡¯m only now beginning to fully grasp my situation.


    I don¡¯t know Dominik. Who is he to my father and why did he do this? I have no idea what¡¯s to be of me once this all ys out.


    ¡°Kasia, this is my brother.¡± He turns to Jakub. ¡°Jakub, this is Kasia Garska.¡± Dominik ces his hand on the small of my back. A gesture of ownership, I think, with the way he pulls me closer to him.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    I extend my hand toward Jakub. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± I say. Not because I mean it, but because I¡¯m acting on autopilot.


    I need to get alone. I need to work all of this out in my mind.


    Jakub¡¯s hand is gentler than Dominik¡¯s, but just asrge. This man is as dangerous, I can feel it in my bones.


    ¡°Same here, Kasia. It will be nice to have some beauty in this house.¡± He grins at me, but his gaze flickers to Dominik. Seeking his approval maybe. My father never cared for attention paid my mother so long as it made his business easier.


    A sh of a memory hits me, but within a blink it¡¯s gone.


    Dominik brushes his hand over mine, taking me from Jakub¡¯s grip. ¡°Kasia, go up to your room and wait for me. I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡± He gestures behind me, and the man from earlier is back. He¡¯s my escort. Or my prison guard.


    ¡°Wait for you?¡± I yank my hand free from him. My level of patience has reached its limit. I¡¯ve been sold, then traded, and now I¡¯m to heel like some dog and wait for my master toe to my room? It¡¯s too much.


    Dominik must sense it, because he turns to me, blocking Jakub¡¯s view of me. He knuckles my chin up until my eyes line with his. There are those cold, blue eyes again, peering down at me like I¡¯m nothing more than an object to be bought. His possession now, I suppose. I wonder how much my ticket price was.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cause trouble, Kasia. Go on upstairs and I¡¯lle soon. I know you have questions, but not until we¡¯re in private.¡± He softens his hand, cupping my cheek and running his thumb along my cheek bone.


    ¡°I¡¯d like my phone back,¡± I say quietly, matching him. He obviously doesn¡¯t want Jakub to hear our conversation, and I have no need for a witness either.


    ¡°I already said not yet. Don¡¯t ask me again, Kasia. I¡¯m being patient, but don¡¯t take that as a weakness.¡±


    ¡°Patient?¡± My eyes widen with my question. He can¡¯t be serious.


    He doesn¡¯t respond with words, only caresses my cheek again before dropping his hand. There¡¯s a tingle where his touch was.


    ¡°Go on,¡± he says with a flick of his head. A signal, I suppose, that I¡¯ve been dismissed.


    When I don¡¯t move, he leans in, his warm breath washing over my cheek.


    ¡°Rule number two. Always do as you¡¯re told,¡± he whispers in my ear.


    ¡°As soon as I have my phone.¡± I raise my chin, fist my hands at my sides.


    His eyebrows raise. I think I¡¯ve surprised him. I went so willingly with him from my father¡¯s home. I obeyed my father¡¯s instructions so easily, so quickly. Dominik probably thought he¡¯d bought himself a nice doormat for a wife.


    But I¡¯m tired and done with all of this chest beating.


    ¡°Tommy, take her up to her room.¡± Dominik gives the order without moving his gaze from mine.


    Two strong hands wrap around my arms, and I¡¯m pulled backward, then dragged toward the stairs. I try to yank free, but he¡¯s too strong, too determined to be the perfect soldier for his boss.


    I give up on struggling and Tommy lets me go so I can walk up the stairs easier. Once we¡¯re upstairs, he grabs my elbow and pulls me down the corridor to a closed door.


    ¡°This is your room.¡± He pushes the door open, dropping his hand. His eyes are on me though, ready if I try to bolt. Where would I go? I doubt my father would let me go home, and without my phone I can¡¯t exactly order an uber toe save me.


    I walk past Tommy into the room. The door shuts softly behind me and I¡¯m alone. The enormity of the evening crashes on me. I¡¯m in a room, in a strange house with a strange man who is bound to me.


    Dropping my bag onto the floor, I sink into an armchair in the corner. I¡¯m sure the room is lovely, but I close my eyes and suck in a trembling breath.


    Who exactly is Dominik Staszek, and why does he want me?

 5

    Dominik


    Kasia is asleep when I go up to her room several hourster. She¡¯s lying on her side with one arm tucked beneath her head and the other tucked between her knees. She didn¡¯t climb under the covers; I wonder if she¡¯s chilled. Maybe she didn¡¯t intend to fall asleep.


    After getting rid of Jakub, I had a phone call from my father. There¡¯s a good chance he¡¯ll be able toe home soon. The case built against him is mostly bullshit, and once the right wheels are greased to turn the other way on any legit issue, he¡¯ll be on the first ne home. Not that he¡¯s hating all his time lounging poolside at our family home in Pruszkow. He¡¯s been wanting to visit the family estate for a long time. His legal troubles were a good excuse.


    Kasia looks different today than the first time I saw her. Older, of course, but also more refined. Her hair is softer, her makeup more subdued.


    I suppose I should feel bad. This unsuspecting girl isn¡¯t anything more than a means to an end. But when I look at her, sleeping so peacefully, I don¡¯t have anything like remorse. She had touted to Marcin he¡¯d promised her freedom, but men like Marcin never let go of what they think is theirs. If he forced her to stay, to live the life heid out for her, there would be no escaping it.


    I won¡¯t y the hypocrite. I¡¯m cruel, too, but not in the same way as him. Innocence matters to me. Well, it did until now. Kasia isn¡¯t her father, I know that. She doesn¡¯t deserve what¡¯sing her way.


    But there¡¯s no stopping the train now that it¡¯s left the station.


    It¡¯s tempting to her let her sleep away the afternoon and talk with her tomorrow. I open the blinds, allowing the soft summer sunlight to wash over her face. It¡¯s enough to have woken me if I were sleeping, but she doesn¡¯t stir. There¡¯s a thick curl of hair covering her cheek; I brush it away. Still, she doesn¡¯t stir.


    Does she trust her surroundings enough to fall so deeply asleep? Or has she always slept like the dead? I know nothing about this woman, other than what I¡¯ve been able to dig up-which wasn¡¯t much. I know her father has magically kept her separated from his business dealings. She attended a private high school, then went to the University of Chicago where she received a bachelor¡¯s degree in elementary education.


    Everything else about her though is a mystery. It won¡¯t matter. There¡¯s time to find out, if I have the need.


    ¡°Kasia,¡± I say her name roughly, shaking her shoulder gently at first, then harder when she remains lost to sleep.


    She jumps away, whipping her hand up from her knees to ward off an attack. Sitting upright, she scrambles across the bed to the other side, blinking as she tries to bring the room into focus.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare you,¡± I say, holding out my hands. ¡°You were sleeping hard.¡±


    She rubs the heels of her hands into her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to fall asleep.¡± When she drops her hands, her mascara is smeared beneath her eyes. It¡¯s not much, a shadow at best. She¡¯d been up all night, of course she fell asleep.


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t intended to be so longing up.¡± I straighten and slide my hands into my pockets. I¡¯ve changed out of my suit and am wearing a pair of loose-fitting cks and a ck button-down long-sleeved shirt. Her gaze wanders over me, like she¡¯s looking for something.


    ¡°Why am I here?¡± she asks, folding her legs behind her and crawling backward off the bed. Now that the queen-sized bed is between us, she¡¯s found some bravery.


    ¡°I think your father made that pretty clear,¡± I say, keeping my eyes locked on her.


    ¡°Marriage, yeah, I know. But why am I here now? Why couldn¡¯t I stay home until the wedding?¡± she pushes.


    ¡°It¡¯s safer here.¡± My actions wille with consequences. But as much as I don¡¯t want her to have to pay for them, I also don¡¯t want my enemies to use her against me.


    Her shoulders drop and for a second, I think she¡¯s going to let it go. She should let it go. Too many questions can be dangerous.


    ¡°Why is it safer here?¡± She emphasizes the first word. I don¡¯t miss how her hands fist at her sides, gathering the material of her shirt.


    There¡¯s a little pink starting to tint her high cheekbones. There¡¯s fire there, beneath the surface.


    ¡°It¡¯s enough that it is.¡± I dismiss her question without answering it. ¡°It¡¯s important that you understand a few things.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not enough that you say it is.¡± She cuts me off. Her eyes widen. Does her outburst surprise even her?


    ¡°Kasia-¡±


    ¡°No. I deserve to know. I may not get a say in where my father sends me, or who he sells me to, but I deserve to at least know why it¡¯s dangerous for me to be at my own home.¡± Her heart must be hammering in her chest; I can see the pulsation in her neck.


    She¡¯s not wrong. But I can¡¯t tolerate her tone.


    ¡°Kasia, I understand this is all confusing and new and a little scary. But don¡¯t raise your voice to me,¡± I say, putting my finger up when she looks ready tounch again. ¡°It¡¯s better that you¡¯re here now. This is your home now,¡± I say.


    ¡°Why?¡± she asks me, but she¡¯s not asking about where she¡¯ll be living now. She wants to know why she¡¯s engaged to me. Why I wanted her.


    ¡°It serves my purpose.¡± I won¡¯t lie to her. I won¡¯t always tell her everything she wants to know, but I won¡¯t lie.


    ¡°And what purpose could I possibly serve?¡± she asks, her voice dropping. Her irritation is building again. ¡°The agreement between your father and mine was for my sister. It¡¯s way past the time you were supposed to take her.¡± She pauses, a flicker of pain shes but disappears. ¡°Were you not able to buy another bride? You had to circle back to my family?¡±


    ¡°Kasia, I¡¯m trying to be patient today because I¡¯m sure this is all overwhelming. But if you keep this up, raising your voice, I¡¯m not going to be able to let it go for long.¡± I stalk around the bed, keeping my gaze locked with hers while I make way to where she¡¯s standing. I¡¯m a little surprised, and even a bit impressed, when the heat in her stare doesn¡¯t die as I approach. I expected her to cower, but instead, she looks ready to battle.


    ¡°Patient? Do you have any idea how messed up this is?¡± She raises her chin. ¡°I¡¯m not a thing to be bought.¡± I think she¡¯s told herself that over and over again, but this is the first time she¡¯s allowed herself to give voice to it.


    ¡°One.¡± I raise a finger in the air, pressing it to her chin. ¡°I didn¡¯t buy you. Maybe that¡¯s something your father does, buys and sells women, but not me. So, I don¡¯t want to hear you say that again,¡± I say.


    She steels her expression too quickly for me to get a real sense of her reaction.


    ¡°How did you get my father to agree to this, then?¡± She doesn¡¯t know details, but I think she knows more about the world her feather lives in than he told me. She¡¯s smart.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know about that.¡± I move my finger from her chin, up along her cheek, gathering her thick hair and tucking it behind her ear. There are pearl teardrops dangling delicately from her earlobes. These aren¡¯t costume jewelry. They¡¯re real. Expensive, too, with the diamond studs.


    ¡°Of course not.¡± She pulls away from my touch. Her tone sours. Maybe the nap wasn¡¯t good for her. She¡¯s woken up with a vengeance.


    ¡°What you need to know right now, Kasia, is we¡¯re going to be married.¡±


    Her gaze shoots away from me. ¡°And then what?¡± she asks, her shoulders slumping. It¡¯s a logical question. And I don¡¯t have an answer for her.


    ¡°Then we¡¯re married,¡± I say, keeping it simple.


    A low rumble escapes from her stomach.


    I smile. ¡°Margaret made food for us. It¡¯s in the kitchen, let¡¯s get you something to eat.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Who¡¯s Margaret?¡± she asks.


    ¡°My housekeeper.¡± I move to the door and open it, gesturing her toe with me. She¡¯s not a prisoner. Not exactly. Her movements will have to be restricted for a while, but it¡¯s for her safety. She¡¯ll understand that.


    Or not.


    Either way, that¡¯s how it will be.


    She eyes the bed momentarily. Her options are to stay hungry and in her room, or deal with having me for a dinner partner. Her hand presses to her stomach, and I¡¯m certain hunger has won out.


    She keeps her back rod-straight as she brushes past me and heads down the hall to the stairs. Her movements are confident, strong.


    It¡¯s just dinner, but she looks like she¡¯s headed into battle.


    A fight she will never win.


    Ever.

 6

    Kasia


    Dominik¡¯s kitchen is gorgeous. The entire house is beautiful. Modern, sleek design with a lot of open space. It¡¯s warm, a house I can imagine children running around ying. It¡¯s a direct contrast to what I see when I look at him.


    He¡¯srge, forbidding, cold. Even with the change out of his suit to more casual shirt and cks, he appears all business. And well rested. Did he sleep beforeing to get me?


    As soon as I sit at the built-in breakfast nook in the corner of the kitchen overlooking the backyard, his phone rings. He pulls it out of the back pocket of his pants and looks at it. With a frown he answers the call and steps further away from me. I can¡¯t understand him, but I hear how fast he¡¯s talking. He¡¯s not happy.


    ¡°Oh, good, you¡¯vee down to eat,¡± a woman probably in her sixties says, popping out from what I think is a pantry. She smiles brightly at me and offers her hands. I reach out to her and she grasps both my hands in hers and shakes them. It¡¯s more of a hug than a handshake, and she looks genuinely happy to see me, so I don¡¯t pull away until she lets me go.


    ¡°Forgive me,¡± she says, swishing her hand through the air. ¡°I¡¯m Margaret. I¡¯m Mr. Staszek¡¯s housekeeper. There are two other women who also work the house, cleaning,undry, that sort of thing, but if you ever need anything juste straight to me and I¡¯ll see it done,¡± she tells me. ¡°There¡¯s pork chops, mashed potatoes, and green beans all set for you and Mr. Staszek.¡± She looks around the kitchen, maybe she expected him.


    ¡°He had a call,¡± I tell her, and she nods.


    ¡°I¡¯ll fix you a te then.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to, I can-¡±


    ¡°No, no you sit. I¡¯ll get it. You must have had quite the day,¡± she says and there¡¯s afort with her acknowledgement. Quite a day is the understatement of the year, of my life.


    I thank her when she ces the te she¡¯s made up for me in front of me. It¡¯s a heavy meal for the afternoon, but having slept all day, I¡¯m starved.


    Dominik is still in the other room. He¡¯s keeping his voice down, but I see him pacing the living room.


    Margaret puts a second ce on the table for Dominik along with silverware and an opened bottle of beer. She offers me wine, but I only want water. I just want to eat and go back to my room.


    ¡°Do you live here too?¡± I ask. The house is sorge, toorge for just one man to live in.


    She smiles. ¡°No, but it feels like it some days.¡± She gestures to the te. ¡°Go on and eat. Sometimes his callsst a while. Is there anything else I can get you?¡±


    ¡°No, no. Thank you.¡± I pick up my fork and knife, ready to dive into the pork chops. She¡¯s breaded them and the smell makes my mouth water.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to check a few things and then I¡¯ll be heading home. But if you need me, my number is on the inside of the pantry door or let Mr. Staszek know and he¡¯ll call me.¡± She adds thest part like she just remembered I¡¯m not allowedmunication with the outside world.


    I thank her again and cut into the pork chop. A shadow behind the blinds startles me. I must have made a noise because Dominik hurries back into the kitchen.


    He ends his call. Pressing one knee into the bench, he leans toward the window to check out what spooked me.


    ¡°It¡¯s just my men,¡± he says to me, then knocks on the window and gestures for whoever it is to move. ¡°Smoking,¡± he exins and sits down across from me, looking at my te.


    ¡°You have men surrounding the house?¡± I ask. The estate is gated, and from what I saw of the neighborhood it¡¯s not exactly slum living.


    ¡°More than your father, but you¡¯ll get used to them,¡± he exins and cuts into his own meal.


    He chews a bite of pork while staring at me across the table. It¡¯s like he¡¯s assessing me still. Maybe I¡¯lle up short and he¡¯ll send me home.


    I begin eating, not asking any more questions. It¡¯s better I stay ignorant, I think. Let him have his life and I¡¯ll find a way to have mine. This won¡¯t be a real marriage, so we don¡¯t need to pretend it is. Two separate people living in one house. It¡¯srge enough, we probably won¡¯t see each other very much anyway.


    ¡°You sleep like the dead,¡± he says after I put my fork and knife down.


    ¡°I was tired. And it¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything else to do up there.¡± I¡¯ve always been a heavy sleeper. It takes two rms to wake me up in the mornings.


    ¡°There¡¯s a tv room downstairs in the basement,¡± he tells me and takes a pull of his beer.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to be locked away in my room?¡± I ask, surprised.


    ¡°Not unless you need to be,¡± he answers with narrowed eyes. ¡°Do I need to lock you in your room? Are you going to be a naughty girl and try to run away?¡± He cocks his head to the side, studying me.


    I force my expression to go nk. At least I hope I do. I can never tell if I¡¯ve mastered the art or if I¡¯m as transparent as I feel.


    ¡°When can I have my phone back?¡±


    He takes another sip of his beer. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see?¡± I can¡¯t stop the anger boiling up. ¡°You just said I¡¯m not to be locked away.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t. You¡¯re free to roam the house and even the grounds, but you aren¡¯t to leave the property and you aren¡¯t to speak to anyone until I say so.¡± He pushes his te away and stands up from the table.


    I scoot out of the nook. ¡°What if I say no?¡± My heart jackhammers in my chest. This man kidnapped a woman yesterday, what will he do if I piss him off too much? But I don¡¯t want to walk around on eggshells. I¡¯m tired of it. I¡¯m so tired of trying to cate those around me for fear of making a ssh.


    ¡°Say no?¡± he asks, leaning one hip against the kitchen ind.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t agree to marry you?¡±


    His eyes narrow to thin slits, but it doesn¡¯t keep the heat from his re hidden.


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want this. I don¡¯t want to marry you.¡±


    In three steps he¡¯s in front of me, the toes of his expensive leather shoes pressed against the tips of my ballerina ts. He pinches my chin between his fingers in a hard grip and pushes my head back until I have to look down my nose to see him. Moving closer, he looms over me.


    ¡°Do you have a boyfriend? Someone you¡¯re in love with?¡±


    His question throws me for a moment. ¡°No,¡± I answer when I recover.


    His eyes roam over my face, more inspections. I¡¯m not a liar, but I¡¯m not sure he¡¯s ever known anyone in his life that didn¡¯t lie to him.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll work fine together,¡± he says, running the t of his thumb over my bottom lip. The part of me that should be screaming at my legs to move, to carry me away from this dangerous man isn¡¯t working. All that¡¯s registering is the warmth of his touch, and how the pain of his grip is sending electric waves through my body, straight to my center.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to marry you,¡± I say firmly.


    ¡°We don¡¯t always get the luxury of only doing what we want,¡± he says, shifting his hand to cradle the side of my face. His thumb traces my cheekbone. ¡°You¡¯ll be a good girl for me, Kasia. If you don¡¯t¡­ If you try to refuse me¡­¡± He leans closer to me, the tip of his nose pressing to my ear. ¡°You¡¯ll be punished like a bad, bad girl.¡±


    I curl my fingers inward. This man could break me if he wanted to.


    His mouth presses against my cheek, then my chin, finally he covers my mouth with his. It¡¯s not tender, his kiss. It¡¯s a branding. He¡¯s marking me. I try to nk out, to just let it happen, but he won¡¯t let me.


    He grips the back of my neck, holds me to him and deepens the kiss. I want to fight him off, to push him away, punch him, kick at him, because despite what I want my insides to do, I¡¯m melting beneath him. Maybe it¡¯s the power, or the ownership he¡¯s trying to convey.


    When he pulls back, it¡¯s with an arrogant grin. He knows what his touch is capable of doing. And I¡¯m just another victim.


    He must know I want to get away from him, because he fists his hand in my hair, holding me steady.


    ¡°You can look at me with all the hatred you want, Kasia, but you can¡¯t hide the reaction your body has to my touch.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a physical reaction, nothing more.¡± I¡¯m not telling the whole truth though. I¡¯ve been kissed before. This is different. This left a tingle on my lips, and a wetness in my panties.


    ¡°I want to go back upstairs,¡± I say with gritted teeth.


    ¡°There¡¯s that word again. Want.¡± His lips pull up into a wide, toothy smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re an asshole,¡± I say hard, shoving at his chest. He still has my hair and he grips it even harder, twisting a little until I grimace at the sharp pain shooting through my scalp.


    ¡°Such a dirty mouth.¡± He turns away from me, walking me back to the breakfast nook where our tes still sit.


    ¡°Dominik,¡± I say reaching behind myself and smacking at his hands. ¡°Stop it. You¡¯re hurting me.¡±


    ¡°You wanted to y tough, Kasia, calling me an asshole. Not a great start to our rtionship.¡± He¡¯s mocking me. I hate him for it.


    ¡°You are an asshole, now let me go!¡± I demand. I have zero leverage here, but still I force myself to be strong. I know what he thinks of me, of what my father has told him. Kasia¡¯s an obedient little thing. She¡¯ll just lie down and take whatever you dish out.


    ¡°Again, she says it!¡± Heughs, but there¡¯s no joy there. No levity.


    Dominik nts his left foot on the bench of the nook and turns a heated re on me. ¡°Say it again and I¡¯ll turn you over my knee and show you what happens to naughty girls in my house.¡±


    This night has taken a turn I didn¡¯t expect. How did I find myself here? Why can¡¯t I stop myself, why do I push him?


    ¡°You. are. An. Asshole. Dominik Staszek. A fucking asshole.¡± I enunciate each word. I¡¯ve lost my mind. There is no other exnation.


    He smiles at me, like he¡¯s pleased. Like I just made his day with my promation.


    ¡°I like strong women, Kasia,¡± he says, then tips me over his leg. I¡¯m dangling upside down, my butt high in the air on his knee. I scramble to find purchase on the floor, but I can¡¯t touch. My hands don¡¯t reach either.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± I yell, swinging my hands at his calves.


    ¡°I like strength, but I expect respect and obedience. At all times,¡± he informs me and before I can register his words, his hand makes contact with my ass. I stiffen at the first impact, almost unsure of what¡¯s happening. Another and another smack of his hand and I¡¯m fully aware. Warmth spreads over my cheek. He¡¯s concentrating on one spot, spanking over and over again.


    I kick, but it does me no good.


    ¡°Stop!¡± I say, ramming my fist into his calf.


    He pauses, and I take a deep breath. It¡¯s over.


    But it¡¯s not. He yanks my leggings down beneath my cheeks. Cool air touches my bare skin.


    ¡°Not much protection back here,¡± he says and tugs the thin material of my panties up until they bunch between my cheeks. The bikini panties don¡¯t cover much, but they¡¯re morefortable than thongs.


    ¡°Dominik. Stop. Please,¡± I say in a calmer voice.


    ¡°You made a choice, Kasia. Now you pay the price,¡± he says andys into me again. He doesn¡¯t discriminate this time and peppers both ass cheeks with hot spanks. I squirm and fight, but in the end, all I can do is give over.


    My ass burns, the heat spreads throughout my entire body.


    He stops spanking me, but rests his hand on my ass to keep me where I am. Tears have built in my eyes, but I¡¯ve managed to keep myself from breaking into sobs. He won¡¯t get that from me.


    Dominik rubs some of the sting away with his hand. It¡¯s a gentle touch, throwing me off again. Is he a monster or not?


    Seconds tick by with nothing being said, then he tips me back to my feet. My panties are still stuffed between my cheeks, and I leave them there. I won¡¯t dig out the wedgie he gave me with him staring at me.


    ¡°Did you learn your lesson?¡± he asks. I expect gloating, but he¡¯s being sincere. His tone is soft.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like cursing,¡± I say, managing to keep the snark from my tone. I don¡¯t want to repeat the lesson. I just want to go to my room and let the humiliation kill me in privacy.


    He runs his hands over my hair. ¡°No, Kasia. I don¡¯t like disrespect. You¡¯re an adult, if you want to curse go ahead. But you won¡¯t be disrespectful.¡± He stands back and tucks his hands into his pockets. ¡°You can go to your room now if you want.¡± He nods toward the front of the house.


    It strikes me then. All the lights are on in the house. The curtains were open in the living room before. They¡¯re closed now. Someone came in while he was spanking me and closed them.


    A new wave of embarrassment rushes over me. Did his men out back see? There are no curtains on the windows here. They were out there smoking earlier; did they watch my humiliation?


    ¡°Kasia.¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    I blink and move my attention back to him.


    ¡°My men know better than to watch things that don¡¯t concern them,¡± he says quietly. How does he understand my thoughts so easily? ¡°Go on if you want. Or go downstairs and pick a movie.¡± He shakes his wrist and looks at his watch, arge piece of machinery. Not one of those high-tech watches, but an actual wristwatch. ¡°I have some business to deal with tonight.¡±


    I¡¯ve been dismissed.


    I nod in silence, unsure of what I will say if I open my mouth. Will I rage at him for touching me in such a way? Or will I kowtow to him? Either would be horrible. I yank my leggings back up in one quick tug and hurry away from him.


    ¡°And Kasia,¡± he says as I reach the next room.


    I turn halfway so he knows I¡¯m listening.


    ¡°No touching yourself tonight. You get no pleasure on nights I have to discipline you.¡±


    Mortification sets in and I calmly make my way to the stairs. Step by step I get further away from him. Hot tears roll down my cheeks and I¡¯m d I¡¯m already upstairs before they start to fall.


    Don¡¯t touch myself?


    Once back in my room, I sit on the edge of the bed. How did he know how what he did affected me?


    Everywhere I turn there¡¯s an enemy. Even when I look in the mirror.


    My body betrays me.


    I open my bag and change into a pair of pajama shorts and a tank top. Catching a glimpse of my bare ass in the mirror, I sigh. It¡¯s red, but not as bad as I thought it would be.


    After I throw my hair up into a bun, I climb under the thick covers of the bed. I wipe away tears. I won¡¯t cry because of this. I just won¡¯t. This is my home now, my bedroom, my life.


    No, this may be where I live, but I¡¯ll never call this my home.

 7

    Kasia


    The house is quiet in the morning. When I slip downstairs, it¡¯s empty.


    ¡°Good morning!¡± Margaret greets me when I enter the kitchen. She has arge smile and a te of pancakes and sausage for me.


    ¡°Is Dominik here?¡± I ask, settling into the breakfast nook. The home of my humiliation. Does Margaret know what he did to me? Would she have stopped him if she¡¯d seen?


    ¡°No. He left an hour ago. He¡¯ll be back for dinner, though.¡± She puts a small pitcher with warmed maple syrup on the table.


    What am I supposed to do all day alone in this house? At home I had myputer, my phone, my life.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll go to the bookstore if there¡¯s one around here. Is there a car I can use, or can someone-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a good idea.¡± Margaret shakes her head and goes to the sink. Of course, he would tell her I¡¯m not allowed to leave. I¡¯m not a prisoner, but I can¡¯t go anywhere.


    I finish my breakfast and bring my te and silverware to Margaret.


    ¡°I can help you today,¡± I offer.


    Again, she shakes her head. ¡°No, no. I have all this handled.¡± There¡¯s a beeping sound and she scurries off to the iPad on the counter. After a few swipes there¡¯s a live feed from outside ying. ¡°Ah, looks like the men are back with your things.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°My things?¡± I sleptter than I¡¯d hoped to, but it¡¯s still morning. How early had they gone to pick up my belongings?


    Two men carry in boxes and go upstairs. Apparently, they know where I¡¯m sleeping. People are having conversations about me behind my back, it¡¯s unsettling.


    After thest box is brought up, I go up, too.


    ¡°One of the girls should be here soon, I¡¯ll send her up to help.¡± Margaret says from behind me.


    There¡¯re three boxes in all. My entire life fits into three boxes.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s fine. Thank you, but it¡¯s mostly clothes. I can do it. It will give me something to do.¡±


    She gives me a small smile then leaves me to it.


    It¡¯s nearly all clothes. Nothing in my father¡¯s house was ever really mine. I¡¯m happy to find myptop and my tablet, though. I have a full library on my tablet. If nothing else, I¡¯ll be able to put a small dent in my reading list.


    After I¡¯ve hung everything in the closet and put away everything else in the dressers, I sit in an armchair that faces the window. The backyard isrge and sectioned off with fruit trees. A row of pine trees lines the back wall of the estate.


    Would it be hard to climb over the wall? More importantly, where would I even go?


    ¡°Kasia.¡± The door to the room opens and Dominik walks in.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you knock?¡± I say, turning back toward the window. I thought I¡¯d have a longer reprieve from him today. It¡¯s barely afternoon. Shouldn¡¯t he be working, shaking someone down or something?


    ¡°Knock in my own house? No,¡± he says firmly and stands beside the chair. ¡°I brought you this, but if you¡¯re in a mood I can keep it a bit longer.¡±


    My phone is in his hand. I look up at him. No smile, just a raised eyebrow. I take it from him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I say quietly.


    Has he done anything to it? Put some sort of tracking app on it? Can he see who I talk to, who I text?


    ¡°I spoke with your father. He has to go out of town for a while, but he¡¯ll call you this afternoon.¡± He slips his hands into his pockets. He¡¯s wearing another suit. A ck suit and tie set against a dark grey shirt. With his hair slicked back, and his beard neatly trimmed, he looks more like a handsome businessman than the demonic thug I¡¯m sure he is.


    My phone¡¯s dead; it needs a good charge.


    ¡°How long will he be gone?¡± I ask. The longer he¡¯s out of town, the longer the engagement. I¡¯ll have time to think of a way out of this or get Dominik to change his mind.


    I get up from the chair in search of my charging cable. It was among my tablet andputer.


    ¡°A few weeks at best. He mentioned you recently graduated. Did you have ns, a job offer maybe?¡±


    I had a lot of ns. A lot of things I wanted to do next. Getting married to a mob boss wasn¡¯t one of them.


    ¡°Kasia, I asked a question,¡± he says when I keep quiet.


    After I dig out the cable, I turn to him. ¡°Does it matter? Would you change any of this if I did?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± He answers without a second of hesitation and I have no doubt he wouldn¡¯t have thought twice about his actions if I had a full life of achievements and goals ahead of me. My life means nothing to him. Not when he can use me for whatever purpose he has in mind.


    I shake my head and go about plugging the charger into the wall.


    ¡°Then why bother asking?¡± I mutter.


    He doesn¡¯t answer me, but instead walks to the empty boxes.


    ¡°You¡¯re unpacked all ready? Where are the other boxes?¡± he asks.


    ¡°That¡¯s all there was.¡±


    He goes to the closet and flips through my things.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I demand, standing at the doorway.


    ¡°Your father was supposed to send all of your things,¡± he says, looking annoyed.


    ¡°He did,¡± I tell him.


    He looks back at the clothes but doesn¡¯t make anotherment. Did he think I was a prized possession that had been spoiled with baubles since childhood? He¡¯d be sorely mistaken. Everything given was at risk of being taken. My father didn¡¯t raise his hand to me, not once. He found more satisfaction in taking things away. He took away my toys as a child, kept me from my sister as punishment, and when there was nothing tangible to take anymore, he took away my freedom. Things and people can be taken away; it¡¯s better not to have them in the first ce.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you don¡¯t have any more dresses like the one you were wearing the other night,¡± hements, pulling a sun dress from the rod and looking it over.


    ¡°It was an old dress. It didn¡¯t fit right. I don¡¯t go out that often to need club clothes,¡± I exin, snatching my clothing from him and putting it back on the rack. ¡°I don¡¯t usually wear things like that.¡±


    He studies me for a long minute. Like I¡¯m not what he thought I was. Though how he could have any sort of opinion about me in the past few days is beyond me.


    Though I have a damn good assessment of him.


    ¡°Good.¡± He steps closer to me, brushing my hair from my shoulders. ¡°How is your ass today?¡±


    His question throws me off bnce. Before I can stop it, heat rushes to my cheeks, and I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve turned red right before his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that with you,¡± I say and leave him in the closet.


    ¡°Should I look for myself?¡± he asks, right on my heels.


    Spinning around to face him, I bump into his chest. With a rumble ofughter from his chest, he catches me and puts me at an arm¡¯s length away. I hate how easily he handles me. How much my skin tingles with excitement when he lets go. I felt nothing when other men have touched me, but this man brushes against me, and I feel like a firecracker ready to go off.


    He grins. ¡°Maybe I should.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I answer quickly.


    ¡°No. I think I should check.¡± He tilts his head, like this is a dare. Do I obey him, or do I fight him? He stands a full head taller than me, and his muscr build suggests he could benchpress two of me without breaking a sweat. I¡¯d never win in a physical fight with him.

 8

    ¡°I already answered you,¡± I say.


    ¡°Are you afraid if I look, if I touch you again, you¡¯ll get as excited as you werest night?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you.¡± I stalk across the room and check my phone. There¡¯s enough of a charge I can shoot out a text message.


    ¡°Maybe not.¡± He¡¯s behind me as I start typing. His hands rest on my shoulders, and he presses his chest into my back. If he¡¯s trying to scare me, it¡¯s not working. I should be afraid. Allmon sense points in that direction, but I can¡¯t summon the fear. Maybe I¡¯ve finally lost all sense and simply don¡¯t care how I meet my end.


    ¡°You may not be afraid of me, but you¡¯re definitely scared of your reaction to me.¡± He brushes his lips across the shell of my ear. I freeze, my thumbs hover over the touchscreen of my phone.


    ¡°I need to call my friend. She might be worried since I didn¡¯t answer her the other night,¡± I say, letting all the bitterness saturate my words. He deserves them. He¡¯s earned it.


    ¡°Have you been spanked beforest night? And I mean a real spanking, not a little tap from your father¡¯s hand as a child.¡± He lets go of my shoulders and moves to the window, briefly looking down at the yard below before bringing his attention back on me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about this.¡± I close my eyes, willing him to leave. It wasn¡¯t enough to humiliate mest night; he wants to relive the embarrassment. I won¡¯t y along with his games.


    ¡°It¡¯s a question, Kasia. How did your father punish you, as a child, as a teenager, as the woman you are now? Tell me.¡± He presses the issue. He¡¯s like a dog with a bone; he¡¯s not letting go.


    I text Trina that I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ll call herter, and drop the phone back to the table.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t hit me. No one has ever done what you didst night.¡± I stand straighter. I won¡¯t show weakness now. ¡°And I won¡¯t allow you to ever do it again.¡±


    ¡°Allow?¡± Heughs on the word. ¡°That¡¯s not the way this works, and you know it.¡±


    He¡¯s right. I do know. I¡¯m to obey. Do as I¡¯m told. I live in the modern age, but my life is stuck in the traditions of the past.


    ¡°Now answer me.¡±


    Why does he want to know this so badly?


    ¡°Parents punish their children.¡± I¡¯m not even close to answering him, but I feel like staying away from the topic of my father with him.


    ¡°They do. But how did your father choose to do it?¡± he asks.


    ¡°He took my things from me,¡± I answer with a roll of my eyes. It sounds so silly saying it out loud. ¡°Are you happy now?¡± I don¡¯t tell him of the punishments when I was younger. When Diana was still alive. That my father would tear us apart and not allow us to see each other as punishment. Sometimes it wouldst weeks, once it went on for over a month.


    ¡°Is that why you don¡¯t have anything?¡± He looks around the room. Other than my electronics and a small jewelry box, I¡¯ve added nothing to the room. ¡°There¡¯s nothing here but your clothes and some jewelry.¡±


    ¡°Nothing in my room at my father¡¯s house was really mine.¡±


    He studies me for a moment. The sun is already setting outside, and an orange cast falls over his face.


    ¡°What do you want from all this, Dominik?¡± I ask when he seems content to stay silent. ¡°Why would you want me to marry you? What do you gain? What did you give my father to get him to agree to this?¡± I¡¯m being used as a pawn; shouldn¡¯t I get to at least know the prize for the game?


    His smile falters a fraction and he open his mouth like he¡¯s going to speak. He must think better of it, though because he snaps it shut and shakes his head.


    ¡°Dinner will be ready soon. I¡¯ll be out all night. Margaret can get you anything you need.¡± He steps away from the window and points to my phone. ¡°Do not make me regret letting you have this back so soon.¡±


    I stare at him, unable to understand him. Why won¡¯t he give me an answer to anything?


    He quietly leaves my room and shuts the door, drowning me in the emptiness once again.


    * * *


    My father¡¯s supposed to be out of town, and he never calls me when he¡¯s left the area. Work takes up too much of his time. So I¡¯m surprised when my phone rings and it¡¯s him.


    ¡°Kasia, I only have a minute. I need you to listen to me,¡± he starts off right away, not even saying hello.


    ¡°Hi to you, too, dad. I¡¯m fine, thanks for asking. It¡¯s not like-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for your whining. Listen to me.¡± He cuts me off. There¡¯s something different in his tone. He¡¯s agitated but more, he¡¯s worried. ¡°I only allowed him to take you that night because I need you to watch him. I need you to listen to his conversations, find out what you can about his father. Find out when he¡¯sing back from Pnd. Find out about his associates, who he works with, who he takes meetings with.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I ask, looking out my bedroom window. A gardener is watering a rose garden. So much beauty in such a dark ce.


    ¡°His father. Dammit, Kasia, listen,¡± he barks at me. ¡°You need to find out when his father ising back from Pnd. As soon as you know, you call me. Don¡¯t talk to anyone but me. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have men for that sort of thing?¡± I ask. Dominik isn¡¯t going to confide anything in me.


    ¡°I need to know when and I need you to find out who Dominik is talking with. Names of anyone whoes to the house, who he has meetings with.¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Why would he tell me anything like that?¡±


    ¡°Make him. Get him to trust you and then find out what you can.¡±


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Do as you¡¯re told for once, Kasia!¡± His voice raises and I pull my phone from my ear slightly. ¡°Diana would have it done by now. She wouldn¡¯t ask so many damn questions all the time.¡±


    My heart sinks into my stomach.


    ¡°But she¡¯s not here, is she, Kasia?¡± Poison drips from his question.


    ¡°No. She¡¯s not,¡± I say quietly. I may be outspoken. I may have walked on the edge of what was proper, but he can reel me back in with merely mentioning my sister. My mother.


    The guilt guts me, and he uses it to his advantage whenever he wants.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can find out,¡± I promise him. I gave up a long time ago that he would find a way to forgive me, but still, a small part of me believes he might. Maybe if he does, I might be able to find forgiveness for myself too.


    ¡°See that you do. And don¡¯t let him know you¡¯re poking around. He¡¯s a dangerous man, Kasia.¡±


    The call disconnects and he¡¯s gone.


    I hadn¡¯t heard from him since he sent me off in the dark of the night with Dominik, and when I do, it¡¯s this. He wants me to be a spy.


    How the hell am I supposed to do that?


    And what will Dominik do to me if he catches me?

 9

    Dominik


    The drive from the city to home takes longer than normal, but I¡¯m happy for the silence. With my father still overseas with my sister, everything is left on my shoulders. It¡¯s good practice for when my father turns over the family to me, but I¡¯ll be grateful for the day he¡¯s back home and his legal troubles are over.


    I know Marcin is behind the bullshit keeping my family stuck in Pnd, but until I can find the information I need I won¡¯t get the okay to act. The marriage between Diana and me was supposed to put an old rivalry to bed, but her death changed things. Without the tie, the old men back home allowed Marcin to move into my father¡¯s territory.


    It¡¯s taken me five years, but I¡¯ve built up our own business to recover the loss. But it¡¯s meant nothing but work over the years.


    ¡°Has Kasia been inside all day?¡± I ask Tommy. He¡¯s driving me home, but he spent all day at the house. I wouldn¡¯t put it past Marcin to make some move to take her home, to help her escape the future. The ceremony needs to happen soon. Once we have the certificate, once our marriage is finalized, her father can¡¯t make any more moves on my family. And when I find the evidence I need that he¡¯s behind my father¡¯s indictment, the old men back home will grant us what¡¯s ours.


    ¡°She went out to the garden for a bit to sit with a book. But that¡¯s it,¡± he informs me.


    I nod but don¡¯t ask any further questions. I text Margaret to tell her to hold dinner until I¡¯m home. I¡¯ll make Kasia have dinner with me tonight. I let her sneak away to her room yesterday, but there won¡¯t be any more of that.


    The house is quiet when I walk inside. Margaret meets me at the door, her hands wringing in front of her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I ask her, looking toward the staircase. Kasia is behind her frown, I can feel it in my bones.


    ¡°Kasia is in your office,¡± she tells me.


    ¡°What is she doing in there?¡± I ask, Margaret wouldn¡¯t stop Kasia from wandering the house. I never gave her instructions to keep Kasia away from my office.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The wringing of her hands gets harder. ¡°She locked the door.¡±


    The key to the room is in my pocket.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll talk with her.¡±


    ¡°Dinner is ready.¡±


    ¡°Just put it on the stove,¡± I say and take off toward my office. Someone needs a lesson in being nosey. She may or may not be going to bed without dinner. It depends on her answers to my questions.


    When Ie to the door, I stare at it for a moment, listening. Something drops, then a curse. I pull the key from my pocket and slowly slip it into the lock. I want the element of surprise here. I want to see what she¡¯s up to without giving her enough time to hide her actions.


    With a quick turn of the lock and flip of the handle, I step inside. She has her nose buried in myptop. But her hands freeze over the keyboard.


    ¡°Kasia,¡± I say her name tentatively. I¡¯m not sure if I should be angry with her yet.


    ¡°Dominik,¡± she mimics my tone. Strike one, little girl.


    ¡°What are you doing in here?¡± I ask, walking around the furniture and behind where she sits. I grab theputer before she can close it.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± She sits back in my chair and folds her arms over her chest. ¡°Am I not allowed an inte connection?¡±


    I pick up theptop. She¡¯s checking email. The inbox is empty, mostly newsletters and advertisements. This is a decoy email. I wonder what¡¯s in her actual ount. The one she uses for real correspondence.


    Closing theptop, I set it aside on my desk. I¡¯ll have someone go through it to find out exactly what she was doing in here.


    ¡°You have inte up in your room,¡± I remind her, pushing the chair around until she has to look up at me.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d just sit in here. I mean if this is to be my home, I didn¡¯t think any room would be off limits.¡± She tilts her head. ¡°Or is it?¡±


    There¡¯s a challenge in her eyes. She¡¯s been caught doing something she shouldn¡¯t be, but she¡¯s daring me to call her out on it.


    ¡°You locked the door. Margaret was worried.¡± I put one hand on the arm of the chair and another on the desk. She¡¯s sweetly caged before me.


    ¡°Why? I¡¯m in the house. Locked away just like you wanted.¡± She lifts a shoulder. A lot of sass for a girl who¡¯s been caught snooping.


    ¡°What were you looking for?¡± I ask, knowing full well I can¡¯t trust her answer.


    ¡°I told you, I was checking email.¡±


    ¡°You want to stick to that?¡± I ask, giving her a chance toe clean.


    Her bottom lip tucks back. She¡¯s trying so hard to stand her ground, to keep her secrets. With my thumb, I pull it free and run my thumb along her lip.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t doing anything wrong,¡± she says finally. She believes the statement, that much is clear. So, either she was doing something she thinks is right, but I would disagree, or she was doing nothing. The pink hue on her cheeks suggests it¡¯s the first. She¡¯s guilty, but she¡¯s trying to convince herself otherwise.


    ¡°Rule number three, Kasia. No lying to me. Ever.¡±


    Her jaw tightens. She hates my rules, hates that I give them to her and expect her to be obedient to them. It¡¯s fine, she can hate them, despise them, but she will follow them.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying,¡± she says with hesitation, like she¡¯s testing out the words, unsure if they¡¯ll stick.


    ¡°I heard something drop before I came in. What was it?¡± I ask, keeping my eyes trained on hers.


    She gives herself away too easily, flicking her gaze for a fleeting second to the ledger on the bookcase next to us. It¡¯s a worthless book, filled with made up numbers and contacts. Fiction for the feds if they should ever find reason to go through my things. There¡¯s nothing in this house for them to find, or her for that matter. Whatever she was looking for, she won¡¯t find it in here.


    I push off the chair and pick up the ledger.


    ¡°This?¡±


    ¡°It fell. I picked it up and put it away,¡± she exins quickly. For having such a corrupt father, she never learned the art of deception.


    Her innocencebined with the building fear in her eyes makes my cock stir in my cks. She¡¯s dressed in a summer dress today, a light purple cotton dress. Her long thick hair is braided down her back, but a few strands won¡¯t be tamed and frame her face. She¡¯s to be my wife in a matter of days, being attracted to her is only a bonus.


    ¡°It just fell over on its own?¡± I ask with a raised brow. ¡°That¡¯s an odd thing for a heavy book like this to do, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    She¡¯s holding her ground. No matter how caught she is, she¡¯s trying to find a way out. Since there¡¯s no real harm done, I could just let her leave. Let her go hide back in her room. But I¡¯m not a good guy. I never imed to be, and I never will.


    ¡°Stand up, Kasia,¡± I say, snapping the book closed and shoving it back on the shelf.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay out of your damn office, Dominik,¡± she says and shoves out the chair, making a break for the door.


    I stop her easily enough with one arm wrapped around her middle.


    ¡°Where you going, sweetheart?¡± I ask on a chuckle. ¡°We¡¯re just talking.¡± I pull her back to me.


    ¡°Dominik. Let me go,¡± she says, smacking my hands.


    ¡°No,¡± I say, holding her to me tighter and forcing her to walk across the room to the wall. With a shove, I pin her to the wall with one hand pressed between her shoulder des.


    ¡°I hate you. I really fucking hate you,¡± she says, struggling to push back against me.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. But what¡¯s not okay is snooping in my office and lying about it.¡± I move closer to her, pressing my chest against her back. My cock is steel hard and I can tell the moment she feels it pushed against her ass. She freezes. It¡¯s only for a second, but it¡¯s there.


    ¡°I was just¡­¡± She doesn¡¯t even finish the lie.


    ¡°You want to know about me? About who I am?¡± I whisper in her ear. Fuck, she smells like vani and lcs. It shouldn¡¯t make a difference, but it makes my need for her be even greater. As much as I like the scent, I want my own on her. I want her to wear me like a brand.


    ¡°I know who you are.¡± She shoves back again. I¡¯ll give her credit, she¡¯s a fighter. ¡°You¡¯re a fucking monster.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    I grab hold of her braid and pull her head back until I¡¯m able to look into those dark brown eyes.


    ¡°You think your father¡¯s any different? You think any man he married you off to would be kinder? I haven¡¯t touched you since you got here. A lesser man would have already taken what¡¯s his.¡± I¡¯m not sure why I say this. It¡¯s not relevant, but somehow, I need her to know I¡¯ve shown restraint. As much as I¡¯ve wanted to sink myself between her thighs since seeing her bare ass that first night, I¡¯ve held back. I vowed to myself I¡¯d leave her untouched until we were married. But fuck if she isn¡¯t making it hard to keep that promise.


    Her struggles cease and she stares up at me, waiting for whates next.


    ¡°I told you on the first night, I won¡¯t tolerate disrespect. I don¡¯t take it from my men, I won¡¯t allow it in my house.¡± I press her head to the wall, not hard enough to hurt her. That¡¯s not my goal. At least not for that part of her.


    ¡°Leave me alone. Just let me go upstairs.¡± She starts up again.


    I grab hold of the buckle on my belt and with one hand undo it. The jangle of the buckle catches her attention, and she freezes.

 10

    ¡°Dominik. Dominik, no!¡±


    ¡°Are you going to tell me the truth yet?¡± I ask, whipping the belt from the loops of my pants. ¡°What were you looking for in here?¡±


    Her hands are fisted against the wall, her fingers tucked tightly.


    ¡°I¡­ nothing. I wasn¡¯t looking for anything,¡± she says, sealing her fate. ¡°Please,¡± she says the word so softly, it barely registers.


    ¡°I¡¯ve given you plenty of chances to tell the truth.¡± I say, letting go of her back. ¡°Pull up your dress,¡± I order.


    She shakes her head but says nothing.


    ¡°If I have to do it for you, I will bind your hands and your feet, and you won¡¯t get just a few licks of my belt. Now pick up your dress. I want your bare ass to taste the leather.¡±


    After a moment, she rolls her shoulders back, stands straight and bunches the skirt of her dress up in her hands. The white bikini underwear is thin, it won¡¯t offer any protection, but that¡¯s not the point. With one hand I grab the stic band and yank the material down to her knees. She shuffles forward a step from the force of my actions, but she rights herself quickly.


    ¡°Now lean forward.¡± I give her shoulder a gentle push. ¡°Still don¡¯t want toe clean? Still want to be a little liar?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she whispers.


    ¡°You can. Your loyalty is to me now, Kasia. Only to me,¡± I tell her, adjusting my stance. I don¡¯t want the belt to wrap around her hip, only to strike her ass, so I wrap it around my hand until it¡¯s the right length. The buckle is tucked in my palm.


    ¡°No?¡± I ask, staring at her profile. Tears are in her eyes, I can see them, but she¡¯s holding them back. She¡¯s steeling herself for what¡¯sing. I know she wasn¡¯t snooping for her own knowledge. Her father¡¯s behind it, all she has to do is tell me. Just be honest, and I won¡¯t have to paint her ass red.


    But she¡¯s stubborn. Marcin warned me about that.


    ¡°When you tell me, the spanking stops.¡± I condemn her and bring the belt down across her milky white cheeks. She hisses but makes no other sound. Again, I bring it down, crossing over the red mark of the firstsh. I pause, giving her a moment to say something.


    With a bitter shake of my head, I continue. Again, and again, I spank her ass with my belt. Watching her plump cheeks bounce after each strike. I give her time, I give her chances, but she remains silent other than to utter a curse between swats.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± she screams when I hit the same spot twice in a row.


    ¡°Tell me, Kasia. This doesn¡¯t end until you¡¯re honest.¡±


    I drop the belt to the floor and move closer to her side. With one arm around her belly, I pull her to my hip. Her ass is in prime position. It¡¯s red, a few purple marks are already showing. I won¡¯t give her much more, but she still has to obey. She will not get away from telling me the truth.


    ¡°Please.¡± She gasps for air but I¡¯m not listening to anything other than the truth. In my gut I already know, but I need to hear the words. I need to know she¡¯s not following her father¡¯s orders anymore, that she¡¯ll be following mine. I can¡¯t let my own wife be my enemy. Not when this isn¡¯t her war.


    ¡°So be it,¡± I say and bring my open palm down on her ass. She wiggles a bit but once I get into a steady pattern, she stops moving. She¡¯s crying softly, but she¡¯s not fighting me. She¡¯s not giving in either.


    When I move the spanks to her thighs, she sucks in some air, but melts into me. Fucking hell, she¡¯s soaring. I stop, look at her eyes and confirm what I already know. Her eyes are glossed over; her bottom lip is swollen from her biting it so hard.


    I¡¯d set out to punish her, to teach her to obey, never lie to me, and what I¡¯ve done is set her skyrocketing off into subspace.


    Well, fuck.


    Kasia


    My ass is on fire, and the quilt on my bed isn¡¯t making it better. I roll to my side, fluttering my eyes open to find Dominik sitting in the armchair beside my bed. His eyes are set on me, the cold blue unrelenting. His jaw, tight.


    He was spanking me. Embarrassment floods me. It had hurt so bad, so fucking much, but within a few stripes of his belt it had turned into something else entirely. Something that surprised me but was weed.


    I don¡¯t remember him stopping or being carried up to bed, but I¡¯m here. He must have brought me.


    My dress is still on, but my panties are gone. There¡¯s a distinct wetness between my thighs.


    Can human beings actually burst into mes from humiliation?


    ¡°You¡¯re up,¡± he says to me when I stay quiet. What am I supposed to say?


    I start to sit up, but he puts his hand out. A signal to stay put.


    ¡°Obviously, an ass whipping won¡¯t get through to you,¡± he says with a sadistic smile. ¡°How do you feel?¡± His question throws me for a second. It¡¯s what he does best, drags me one way then tosses me the other.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± I don¡¯t borate. My ass is sore, and my mind is a little fuzzy, but all in all I¡¯m peachy.


    Why am I so rxed?


    ¡°Good.¡± He leans forward, his elbows pressed into his knees and his hands dangling between his legs. He¡¯s holding something, but I can¡¯t tear my gaze away from him to look. Whatever it is, I¡¯ll deal with it.


    ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± he asks, putting the device in my line of vision. It¡¯s a vibrator. He¡¯s holding a goddamn vibrator.


    ¡°I do,¡± I say, feeling the hot rush to my face.


    ¡°There are other ways to punish, Kasia. Spanking won¡¯t work with you, and we will explore thatter, once I have your obedience and your loyalty. But pleasure can be punishment too.¡± He gets up from the chair and moves to the bed. There¡¯s enough space for him to sit beside me. When I try to curl up, to roll away, he ces his heavy hand on my stomach, stilling me.


    He grabs the hem of my dress and flicks it upward until I¡¯m exposed. I fling my hands down, trying to cover myself, but he brushes them away.


    ¡°No, Kasia. Bad girl,¡± he says and rests his hand over the small patch of curls. ¡°Keep your hands to yourself.¡± He pulls my left leg toward him then shoves my other leg away. I¡¯m open, exposed, and too shocked to do much else but obey.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± the insult forming in my brain dies away when he spanks his hand over my pussy.


    ¡°I would watch my mouth if I were you right now, Kasia,¡± he warns, curling his fingers into my pubic hairs. With a little tug, he has my attention. ¡°I like this little patch. Don¡¯t shave it. Keep it just like this for me,¡± he instructs me, and I want to scream at him, but I can¡¯t deny the urges boiling inside me either.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    He quirks an eyebrow. ¡°The same thing I wanted downstairs. I want the truth. What were you looking for and why?¡±


    ¡°I was just using the office.¡± I try to sound sincere, but by the look of disappointment on his face I¡¯ve failed.


    ¡°Have it your way,¡± he says and flips on the vibrator. The humming sound fills the room right away, and my clit reacts to it immediately. Vibrators are not new to me.


    Using two fingers on one hand, he spreads my pussy lips open. The tip of the vibrator touches my clit, just barely, just enough to make my body react. I fist the bedding beneath me. I can¡¯t give in to him. I can¡¯t let him win.


    He presses the vibrator harder against me, and it takes every ounce of energy I have not to buck up at it. I want it, I want it harder and faster and I want toe unglued.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice, right? Having your pussy yed with,¡± he says softly, leaning over until his hot breath washes over my clit. He moves the vibrator lower, until it teases my entrance. ¡°Tell me,¡± he says looking up the length of my body at me.


    Those eyes, these fucking eyes bore into me.


    I grit my teeth and turn away. If I don¡¯t look it will be easier.


    Wrong.


    His tongue touches my clit, rolls around it and then he sucks it into his warm mouth while he pushes the vibrator just inside my pussy.


    I moan, clench my teeth. It¡¯sing, this buildup of pleasure is mounting and mounting and he¡¯s not stopping. He¡¯s slowly fucking me with the vibrator while he licks and sucks on my clit.


    I¡¯m at the very edge, ready to leap off into an abyss of pleasure, when it all stops.


    ¡°No!¡±


    Heughs. ¡°Didn¡¯t like that?¡±


    How badly would he hurt me if I pped him?


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to tell,¡± I say from behind clenched teeth.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he says and the pleasure ramps up again. The vibrator goes deeper. His tongue flicks faster. Everything is ten times what it was a moment ago. I tense, letting it build, hoping it will all crash down on me before he can notice.


    But I¡¯m wrong.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± he says again from between my thighs.


    ¡°You already know!¡± I use him. This man doesn¡¯t act without knowledge. He knows damn well what I was doing and why.


    ¡°I do. So just tell me,¡± he says with a wide grin.


    I turn my gaze up to the ceiling and it all starts again. Only this time, he¡¯s not fucking me with the vibrator. He¡¯s using it on full power on my clit and I¡¯m driven straight to the very end of sanity. It¡¯s too much, everything is going to burst. I can¡¯t do it again; I can¡¯t be so close to heaven only to see it fade into the distance.


    ¡°My dad!¡± I yell. It¡¯s all I can say. He already knows, he just needs my confirmation.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± he whispers.


    I¡¯m so close, so fucking close. The very first ripple of an orgasm is right there.


    And everything falls away. All the pleasure, the buildup. It recedes, leaving an agitating hum behind it as it fades away.


    ¡°You said,¡± I whine. I hate that he makes me sound this way, but I¡¯m desperate and needy and horribly embarrassed.


    He shoves the vibrator into his back pocket, pulls my dress back down over my pussy and climbs off the bed.


    ¡°I never said you¡¯d get toe. I said pleasure could be punishment. And it is.¡± He wipes the back of his hand across his mouth, where my own juices have wet his lips. Mortification will kill me in this house.


    I snap my legs together, pressing them tightly.


    ¡°You, you¡­¡± Words fail me. My brain is broken.


    Heughs. ¡°Be careful. The punishment can continue.¡±


    I sit up in the bed, pushing myself against the headboard. I want to scratch out his eyes. So easily he¡¯d brought me to the edge. It¡¯s not fair. It¡¯s wrong.


    My stomach aches at my actions.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°You can spend the rest of the night up here. Think about how you¡¯ll be more honest in the future.¡± He winks then heads to the door. ¡°Just to be sure you don¡¯t go stealing what¡¯s not yours, the door stays open tonight. One of my men will be sitting just outside to be sure you¡¯re safe.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a horrible man,¡± I say quietly. I don¡¯t trust myself to say anything else. Tears burn my eyes, but not because I¡¯m left unsated, but because I wanted nothing more than for him to make mee. I wanted his touch, I ached for it. I betrayed myself. And now he knows my father wanted me to find information.


    I¡¯ve betrayed him, too.


    ¡°I can be, yes,¡± he agrees, his hand on the handle of the door. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be, not with you. But that¡¯s up to you, Kasia.¡±


    He leaves the door open as he promised, and one of his men walks past the door and sits in a chair. I see his knee bobbing up and down from where I am.


    Punished and put to bed.


    Will the rest of my life be like this?

 11

    Dominik


    Kasia is lost in a book beneath the weeping willow in the yard. She¡¯s settled herself into awn chair that had been dragged into the shade. There are no tread marks in the grass.


    ¡°Did you bring this out here by yourself?¡± I interrupt her reading as soon as I¡¯m in her earshot.


    She looks up from her kindle, shading her eyes with her hand.


    ¡°No. One of your big, strong men did it for me.¡±


    She¡¯s trying to goad me into an argument, but it won¡¯t work. Not at the moment. We have more important things to discuss.


    ¡°There¡¯s an umbre on the patio, you don¡¯t have toe all the way over here to sit in the shade.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°I like sitting under the trees or in the rose garden. But there¡¯s less shade there though, until after lunch.¡± I¡¯m surprised by how much she says. It¡¯s been all two or three word answers so far.


    Tommy shows up with another chair in hand and ces it beside me. Margaret at his side.


    ¡°Here¡¯s your tea, Kasia.¡± Margaret waits for Tommy to put the small folding table down beside her then puts down a steaming cup of tea.


    ¡°I would havee in for it¡­¡± Kasia sits up straighter in her chair. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all. Tommy was looking bored anyway.¡± Margaret gives me a quick nce. ¡°Would you like something while you¡¯re out here?¡±


    ¡°No. Thank you,¡± I say with a small nod.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be any trouble,¡± Kasia tells me when the pair have walked away.


    ¡°Making a cup of tea isn¡¯t any trouble. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s d for someone to do things for.¡± I sit down in the chair Tommy brought out for me, and stare at her for a moment. She¡¯s brushed her hair out and swept it into a side ponytail. The soft pink sundress she¡¯s wearing is a modern cut with a low neckline, but not low enough to show me much more than the curve of her breasts.


    She must sense me staring at her, and tugs down the hem of her dress. It¡¯s a modest dress, even with it hiked up a bit with her legs crossed she¡¯s not giving me a glimpse at anything. Afterst night I don¡¯t need to see what she has between those sweet thighs of hers. I can still taste her on my tongue.


    ¡°Did you close my bedroom doorst night?¡± she asks.


    I bring my eyes up to hers. ¡°Yes. When I went to bed, I checked in on you then closed it.¡± She¡¯d burrowed herself so far under the quilt, I had to go up to the bed to be sure it was her hair poking out and not some makeshift dummy. The woman sleeps too heavily. The house could have burned down around her, and she wouldn¡¯t have noticed.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She scratches her calf. ¡°For closing it.¡±


    I nod. I didn¡¯t think she was thanking me for the spanking. But now that we¡¯re on that subject.


    ¡°How are you today?¡± I ask, wiggling my finger at her bottom.


    Her cheeks redden in a single heartbeat. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Come here, Kasia,¡± I say, sitting back in the iron patio chair and crook my finger.


    ¡°Not out here, Dominik. Please,¡± she says quietly, frantically looking over my shoulder.


    ¡°I told you, my men know better than to watch what¡¯s not their business. Nowe here.¡±


    She puts her kindle down on the table beside her tea and unfolds her legs. Once on her feet she shuffles the three steps toward me. Prisoners look less concerned while being marched to the execution room.


    I spread my legs, capturing her between them. With a twirl of my finger, I direct her. Her jaw tightens, but she does what she¡¯s told and spins away from me.


    Since she can¡¯t see me, I take a moment to enjoy the curve of her hips. Tenderly, I touch my fingertips to her legs where the hem of her dress touches. I drag my hands upward, pulling the material with me. Her hands twitch at her sides, but she¡¯s being a good girl for me and not fighting me. Maybe she did learn a lessonst night.


    I think she learned something about herself, too.


    ¡°No panties?¡± I ask, somewhat surprised, but then I see the marks. There¡¯re two long welts crossing both cheeks that would make sitting ufortable. A dark purple bruise sits right where her panties would hit.


    ¡°Are you done?¡± she asks, her hands fisted, and she sounds close to the edge.


    ¡°I have some cream that might help,¡± I say, poking the welt. She hisses and takes a small step forward. My cock is pressing hard against the zipper of my pants. I grab her hips, pulling her ass toward me. She stumbles back a half step, but I¡¯m holding her, she won¡¯t fall.


    I run my tongue over thergest welt then press my lips to the purple flesh where she probably likely hurts the most. Her ass tenses, but I¡¯m not done. I created each of these marks, and I¡¯ll show them the respect, the care, they deserve.


    ¡°Dominik.¡± Her voice is soft, more of a caress than a plea. ¡°Don¡¯t, please.¡±


    ¡°These are mine, Kasia,¡± I tell her in Polish. ¡°You¡¯re mine.¡± I kiss thest welt.


    I¡¯m sure she understood me; her legs locked up when I made my im.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be married by the end of the week,¡± I say, pulling her down into myp. Her bare ass hits my thigh. She winces.


    ¡°So soon?¡± she asks, trying to scramble off. I lock my arm around her waist and shake my head. I don¡¯t want her to go yet, and with the pressure on her ass reminding her of what happens to naughty girls, she stays put.


    ¡°Sooner if I can manage it,¡± I say, brushing the tip of my nose against her bare shoulder. The dress has thick straps, but the rest of her is exposed. Creamy and untouched by the sun.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want this, Dominik. Doesn¡¯t that mean something?¡± She folds her hands in herp and keeps her attention focused on the grass beneath my feet. Her bare feet dangle between my legs. It¡¯s cute the way she fits in myp so snugly, so perfectly. Like she was made to be right here.

 12

    ¡°Things will be awkward at first. But you¡¯ll get used to me. And I¡¯ll get used to you.¡± I might be lying, but not with intent.


    ¡°And what you didst night. Will I get used to that too?¡± There¡¯s a sharpness to her tone, but she softens it by keeping her face turned away from me. I think she¡¯s embarrassed. Something new happened to herst night, and she doesn¡¯t understand it.


    ¡°Which part, Kasia? The part where my belt made you feel so good you couldn¡¯t speak? Or when I punished you by withholding your orgasm?¡± I scrape my top teeth across the curve of her shoulder. She folds her arms over her stomach, like moving that fraction of an inch will protect her from the sensations I¡¯m giving her. She¡¯s not wearing panties and her ass is on my leg. Her pussy is already wet, making a mess on my pants.


    ¡°Both were punishments in my mind,¡± she says, finally turning her gaze to me. Her pupils are dted, nearly overpowering the brown of her eyes.


    ¡°Ah, the first was meant to be a punishment. I was hard on you with my belt, but what you experienced wasn¡¯t a punishment. Have you felt like that before?¡±


    She bites down on her lip, and she quickly turns away from me again. Not before I see the red tint to her cheeks though.


    ¡°It¡¯s called subspace. Sort of feels rxing and tense all at once, right? Like you were there, but not really?¡± A few women in my past have exined it that way.


    She lowers her chin, like she¡¯s trying to fold herself into herself.


    With a knuckle beneath her chin, I nudge her gaze up to meet mine. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of. Nothing to be embarrassed about,¡± I assure her.


    ¡°It hurt like hell and then it¡­¡± She swallows. ¡°Then it didn¡¯t. It¡¯s like I heard you, I felt it, but I wasn¡¯t really there.¡±


    I run my thumb along her jaw. ¡°You like the pain. It¡¯s good.¡± I don¡¯t mention how much I enjoy giving it to her.


    ¡°Since you think I enjoyed it, you won¡¯t do it again?¡± There¡¯s a test in there somewhere. Does she want me to say yes or no?


    ¡°It won¡¯t be punishment, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Iugh.


    ¡°The other part then, you¡¯ll¡­ do that?¡± She¡¯s soft in my arms like this. The tension has eased away enough that I loosen my grip around her waist.


    ¡°Definitely.¡± It¡¯s a vow. ¡°I think it worked well, don¡¯t you? You¡¯re being more cooperative today.¡±


    She pinches her lips together and for a moment I¡¯m sure she¡¯s going to argue with me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have work to do?¡± she asks, tugging her dress down. It¡¯s toote, her pussy has left a mess on my leg.


    I lean forward and pull her phone from my back pocket. She looks at it with furrowed eyebrows.


    ¡°You took my phone?¡±


    ¡°Your father is blocked. I don¡¯t want you contacting him.¡±


    ¡°Because I was in your office.¡± She takes the phone and swipes through the contacts. He¡¯s been removed, but I¡¯m sure she knows his number.


    ¡°Because he asked you to spy on me. He asked you to do his dirty work for him. I don¡¯t want you put in the middle of this, so I don¡¯t want you talking with him until it¡¯s all sorted out.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my father¡­¡± The fire in her words dies quickly.


    ¡°Tell me about your sister.¡± I sit back against the cushions of the chair and run my fingertips up and down her arm. I don¡¯t want to talk about her father any more than she does; a distraction from the topic will make it easier for her to open up.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like talking about them,¡± she says, looking at me through a side nce.


    ¡°My mother died when I was in high school,¡± I tell her. ¡°She was sick for a long time. When she died, my sister, Lena, was only seven. My brother twelve. I was sixteen. She was alone when she passed. We were all at school and my father was away from the house for the day. The nurse was in the next room, getting my mother a ss of water. When she came back into the room¡­ she was gone.¡± I haven¡¯t spoken of that day in years. But seeing the pain in Kasia¡¯s eyes at the mention of her sister and mother, it¡¯s drawn out of me.


    ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t realize your mother was gone,¡± she says quietly, slightly turning on myp to see me better. Her thigh brushes my cock, and even with the turn in topic, I want her.


    ¡°When I got home, when I found out she¡¯d died alone, I med myself. I was the oldest. I should have stayed home when my father couldn¡¯t be there. I should have been with her.¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have known,¡± she says quickly. When our eyes meet, her shoulders drop.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t like talking about her for a long time because the guilt would hit me hard when I did.¡± I rub my hand up and down her back. ¡°But you¡¯re right. I couldn¡¯t have known. She suffered a brain aneurism. It was a shock, even with her being so sick.¡±


    She looks away from my eyes, settling on the top button of my shirt. ¡°It was my fault my mom and Diana were in that ident,¡± she announces firmly.


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°My father told me to pick up my mother from a luncheon she was having at a friend¡¯s house. I was in the middle of a project for school, and Diana was running out to get a new bottle of nail polish, so she offered to do it for me. I should have told her no. I should have done what my father told me to do.¡±


    Tears well up in her eyes, and I realize just how strong she is. Through everything that¡¯s happened in the past few days, she hasn¡¯t shown one crack in her armor. But now, talking about her sister and her mother and the guilt she carries, it¡¯s there. A hairline fracture, but it¡¯s there.


    ¡°And you think if you had gone there wouldn¡¯t have been an ident?¡± I finish for her.


    ¡°There wouldn¡¯t have been. Diana picked mom up early so they could go to the store together. If I had gone, we would have been at that intersectionter. Or not at all.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of weight on that if,¡± I say, pressing my lips to her shoulder. ¡°The night I signed the agreement with your father, when you pretended to be Diana. Why didn¡¯t shee down?¡±


    Now that I have more information, I pull her away from the topic bringing her pain. I don¡¯t like seeing the sadness in her. I fucking hate it, actually.


    ¡°She was scared. She couldn¡¯t stop crying, so I told her I¡¯d go for her.¡± She blinks a few times and looks away again, probably gathering up her strength again.


    ¡°You were her protector,¡± I say softly, then tap her phone. ¡°Let me protect you right now. Stay away from your father.¡±


    She sighs. It¡¯s not a new idea that her father is a son of a bitch. He¡¯s probably beenying on the guilt ever since the ident. From the pictures in his office, it was in that Diana was his favorite. Did anyone give Kasia the attention she needed? Or is that why she¡¯s built such a strong spine? Out of need to protect her sister and also herself.


    ¡°He¡¯s not a horrible man, Dominik. He¡¯s just¡­ a hard man.¡± She doesn¡¯t sound convinced, but I¡¯m not going to argue with her.


    ¡°Did you disobey mest night?¡± I ask her, throwing her off topic again. She¡¯s easier to deal with when she doesn¡¯t see thingsing. She drops her guard for a brief moment, and in that moment, I see her more clearly.


    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, Dominik,¡± she admonishes me.


    ¡°That¡¯s not an answer,¡± I say, resting my left hand on her thigh.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t do what you thought I was going to do,¡± she says in a harsh whisper.


    Iugh. ¡°There¡¯s no one here but us, and I already told you ¨C my men know better than to watch what¡¯s not their business.¡±


    I run my hand up her thigh, until my fingertips are just beneath her dress. ¡°Since you were good and since you¡¯re being so cooperative today¡­ let me make you feel good.¡± I press her back into my chest and push her thighs open.


    ¡°Dominik.¡± She tries to argue, but my fingers are already working over her pussy.


    ¡°Such a wet girl.¡±


    She groans, out of embarrassment or pleasure? We¡¯ll see.

 13

    Kasia


    I roll my head back, against his shoulder. The wind makes the tree branches dance above us, and I try to concentrate on them, on anything that will distract me from the easy way he arouses me. It¡¯s not right, to have no feelings for a man but still melt into his touch so effortlessly.


    He presses a finger to my clit, the magic button that steals a moan from me. It only makes him more arrogant; these sounds he forces from me. Sliding his finger through my wet sex, he toys with my entrance, and it takes everything in me not to snap my legs shut. To keep him away or to trap him, I¡¯m not sure anymore.


    ¡°Such a good girl when your pussy¡¯s being yed with, hmmm?¡± He teases me with his whispers in my ear. The heat of his breath, the aroma of his aftershave all work together to make me want him even more.


    I clench my teeth. This isn¡¯t right.


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± He warns me with a light tap to my thigh. ¡°Rx your body, Kasia. Let me make you feel good.¡± He nips my earlobe. ¡°Let me show you how good things can be between us. And they can be so good.¡±


    I can¡¯t stop the images from the whipping from reying in my mind while his fingers rub over my aching clit. I wanted nothing morest night than to explode in his hands, and quickly he¡¯s bringing me right back to the edge.


    Dominik¡¯s chin presses into my shoulder while he pulls the front of my dress down. The neckline is stic and easily maneuvers beneath my breasts.


    ¡°No bra?¡± he asks, and I don¡¯t need to see him to know he¡¯s smiling. That same arrogant grin.


    My nipples harden beneath his stare before he even touches me. But when he does, when his fingers gently pinch my nipple, it¡¯s like skyrockets are lit, firing between nerve endings.


    ¡°You¡¯re close, Kasia,¡± he whispers in my ear. I nod, unsure of what I will say if I try to speak. I won¡¯t beg him to let me finish. I won¡¯t plead for my release.


    ¡°Such a good girl,¡± he kisses the side of my neck, trailing a line of heat with his tongue. ¡°Tell me, Kasia. Are you a virgin?¡± His finger slips just into my pussy. It¡¯s not enough, I want all of it.


    ¡°Dominik.¡± One word. My cheeks me with the truth. A twenty-two-year-old who¡¯s never known the real touch of a man, it¡¯s pathetic.


    ¡°Tell me, Kasia. Do I have to find men to kill or will I be the first man to have you, the only man to have you,¡± he says, biting down on my shoulder. The pain of his bite burns at first, then mingles with the pleasure his fingers are giving me.


    He pushes his finger inside further, curling it at the knuckle.


    ¡°Are you a virgin?¡± he asks again, his finger stilling inside me, his pinch increasing on my nipple.


    I can¡¯t help but arch my body until my hips thrust toward his hand.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I say. The heat from my cheeks spreads throughout my entire body.


    With one quick thrust, he plows his finger into me, then adds another. I wrap my hand around his forearm, squeezing him. I don¡¯t want him to stop. No, if he stops, I¡¯ll find his gun and kill him myself.


    ¡°You¡¯re so tight, so fucking wet,¡± he mutters in my ear, biting my shoulder again and pinching my nipple.


    I¡¯m at the end, there¡¯s nowhere to go but over and once I breach that cliff, I¡¯m not going to be able to stop myself. I roll my head to the side, giving him better ess to my throat. Wanting, no, needing his bite, his marking as the heel of his hand hits my clit.


    ¡°Come for me, Kasia. Show me you¡¯re my good girl, you¡¯re my sweet girl. Show me,¡± he says and plows his fingers harder into me, curling them and twisting as he fucks me with them. My nipple burns when he releases it, only to flick it and ignite another sensory overload.


    All the pain, the pleasure, it¡¯s too much. I can¡¯t stop it. I can¡¯t contain it.


    He licks my neck, then bites down hard, catapulting me beyond reason. The heel of his hand presses harder against my clit, rubbing in circles. The sounds of his fingers pumping in and out of my sloppy wet pussy carry me away. Every muscle in my body tenses and within a blink of an eye, I¡¯m screaming. My feet nt onto the soft ground below and I¡¯m scrambling to chase after every wave, every pulse of the electric release he¡¯s brought down on me.


    ¡°No, no,¡± he soothes me. ¡°Feel it, feel all over it,¡± hemands, and like the good girl he¡¯s making me be, I sink into hisp, letting every harsh wave crash over me and steal away my breath.


    By the time the pleasure fades into avender haze, I¡¯m gasping for air. My heart has tried to escape my chest, but failed, leaving behind an ache as my pulse slows. His fingers never left my passage, his hand never moved from my breast. There¡¯s a light sting on my neck where his teeth sank in. I wonder if there¡¯s any blood.


    I¡¯m not sure I care.


    He slowly pulls his hand from between my legs, leaving me empty and wanting. After he licks his fingers clean, which I¡¯m oddly aware of because of his moan, he rights the neckline of my dress and pulls my legs across his. I¡¯m cradled in hisp now, and I don¡¯t even fight the urge to weave my arms around his neck and hold onto him.


    He smells good. A masculine scent of spice and leather.


    ¡°This is how I want things between us, Kasia. Giving you pleasure, making you mine. This is how it should be between husband and wife.¡±


    ¡°But we don¡¯t even like each other,¡± I say into his shirt.


    His chest rumbles with his softugh.


    ¡°We don¡¯t hate each other. And that¡¯s a start.¡± He pulls me tighter against him.


    ¡°You want something.¡± I¡¯m sleepy, but I can tell there¡¯s amanding. Another of his rules.


    He kisses the top of my head. ¡°I don¡¯t want you talking with your father. I want you to stay away from him.¡± He¡¯s already told me this.


    ¡°You don¡¯t trust him,¡± I say on a yawn. I don¡¯t trust my father either. A man who signs away both of his daughters with as much ease as he did, isn¡¯t a man with much integrity.


    But he is my father.


    ¡°No.¡± He surprises me by being honest. ¡°I don¡¯t. And until I know what he¡¯s up to, I want you away from him.¡±


    His chest muscles tense. Herees the bombshell.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to be married tonight, Kasia.¡±


    No matter my exhaustion, I push away from him to stare into his eyes.


    ¡°Tonight?¡± There¡¯s no time to n. I don¡¯t have a dress, there¡¯s no guest lists, no parties.


    ¡°We¡¯ll throw a celebratory party once my father returns home. You¡¯ll n it all the way you want it, but we need to marry. We need to get it done before your father makes whatever move he¡¯s nning.¡±


    I blink. Sleep is fogging my thinking. ¡°But he signed that agreement. He can¡¯t go back now.¡±


    He smiles at me, like my ignorance on such things is cute.


    ¡°I can¡¯t exactly take him to court over it, can I?¡± He brushes a strand of hair from my eye and tucks it behind my ear. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll give me no trouble. I don¡¯t want to punish you on our wedding night.¡±


    There¡¯s that word again. Punish.


    ¡°Is this how my life is to be? Punishment for disagreeing with you?¡±


    His eyes darken. ¡°No. Punishment is only for disobeying me. You can disagree whenever you¡¯d like.¡±


    I stare into his eyes. They¡¯re still the icy blue from when we met, but there¡¯s a tinge of warmth I didn¡¯t see before.


    Could he be softening?


    I adjust my seating on hisp and feel his erection pressing against my hip. He hasn¡¯t asked for anything in return. He hasn¡¯t forced himself on me, and he was tender only moments before.


    It was all a ruse to get my cooperation. There is no tenderness in him. Nothing real. This isn¡¯t a real rtionship. There will be no true marriage.


    This will only be me being made to bow to his dictates whenever he wants and he¡¯s not above punishment and bribery to get it.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°Either way, Kasia, by the time you fall asleep tonight in my bed, you¡¯ll be my wife,¡± he promises in the heaviest tone I¡¯ve heard him use.


    In his bed.


    ¡°My father won¡¯t be there, then,¡± I say. ¡°At the wedding,¡± I rify.


    ¡°No. It will just be Margaret and my brother. I¡¯ve arranged for a priest.¡± He pinches his lips together. ¡°I wish I could give you something more¡­ well, more.¡±


    For a moment I thought he might say romantic. But surely nothing between us will ever be that.


    This is an arrangement. I have no say in it. It¡¯s been decided. I only have to show up.


    ¡°There¡¯s time this afternoon for you to shop for a dress if you¡¯d like. Margaret can go with you, and two of my men.¡± He brushes the back of his knuckles across my cheekbone. The small gestures are confusing me. I push his hand away and slip off hisp.


    Tugging my dress down, I smooth out the skirt. If anyone saw what we did, what he made me do, I would be mortified. A quick look around tells me we¡¯re alone. At least from what I can see. There¡¯s always a man on guard somewhere.


    ¡°I don¡¯t-actually, yes. That would be nice.¡± Any excuse to get out of this house. Even if it is to shop for a dress I will despise.


    He looks up at me, as though he¡¯s not quite sure what to make of mypliance. Isn¡¯t this what he wanted?


    My phone dances on the table and I swipe it before he can grab it. An email. Finally something that might bear fruit.


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk with Margaret. We can leave in an hour if she¡¯s able.¡± I pick up my kindle and my untouched cup of tea. I¡¯de out to the yard to bury myself in a book, to forget all the mess surrounding me. But he¡¯d only brought it out with him.


    He gives a slow nod then stands from the chair. ¡°I¡¯ll let her know. Tommy and Michael will be going with you.¡±


    I raise my chin a fraction. His cock is outlined against his trousers. I keep my gaze fixated on his chin and curl my toes into my sandals.


    ¡°Kasia.¡± He says my name hard, and I stare at him, waiting for his next volley of instructions. ¡°Things can be good between us, just like they were.¡±


    Iugh. The haze of pleasure has lifted. I¡¯m no longer in the pliable mood he put me in with his tititing touch.


    ¡°Right. We¡¯ll be best of friends, Dominik.¡± I pat his arm and leave him beneath the shade of the great weeping willow.

 14

    Dominik


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mr. Staszek.¡± Margaret rushes toward me as I enter the chapel. Margaret brought Kasia an hour earlier, while I finished a meeting.


    ¡°For what, Margaret?¡± I ask, noting the panic in her eyes. The doors to the small chapel I¡¯ve arranged to use for the ceremony are closed. I couldn¡¯t give Kasia a proper wedding, but I could at least bring her to a church to say our vows before God¡¯s watchful eyes.


    ¡°I tried to convince her otherwise, but she wouldn¡¯t listen. She just wouldn¡¯t.¡± Margaret¡¯s mouth thins.


    ¡°Whatever it is, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s fine,¡± I assure her. She¡¯s spent extra attention on her makeup and her dress for the night. Margaret¡¯s worked for my family for over twenty-five years, I won¡¯t have her feeling like she¡¯s to me for something Kasia has done.


    ¡°Is she here?¡± I ask, suddenly aware that she could have defied me. I never gave my men permission to physically drag her here if she wouldn¡¯tply on her own.


    ¡°Oh, yes, she¡¯s here. In that little room Father Peter was so nice to let her use.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then whatever else it is, it¡¯s fine.¡± I check my watch. ¡°I think we should get started. Why don¡¯t you go get her?¡±


    ¡°Dominik!¡± Jakubes out of the church with a wide grin on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s get this started, huh? I have a few women waiting for me at the club.¡± He waves me over.


    I touch Margaret¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Go on, get her ready. Let¡¯s get this over with. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll feel better once it¡¯s done.¡±


    Margaret frowns. She doesn¡¯t like this. A man should love his wife, she had told me after she heard my father talking about this arrangement. Diana had been my intended bride at the time. I don¡¯t think she likes how easily I¡¯ve switched sisters.


    ¡°It will be fine, please.¡± I motion toward the room she pointed out. ¡°Go get her.¡±


    She pinches her lips together and gives me a nod. She won¡¯t give me trouble. At least not like Kasia will, I¡¯m sure.


    At least she¡¯s here. I wasn¡¯t lying when I said I didn¡¯t want to start out our marriage with a punishment. It doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s not getting her ass smacked a few times tonight though.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I tug on Jakub¡¯s shoulder and head into the chapel. Father Peter is already standing at the front of the small church. They reserve this chapel for small ceremonies when the main church is otherwise used. Using the main church would have let Kasia see how empty the room was; this way, it¡¯s not so apparent.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Too bad our father can¡¯t be here,¡± Jakub says as we walk down the short aisle to the front of the chapel. ¡°First born son gets married-it should be a big event.¡±


    ¡°Waiting would be too dangerous. Garska is up to something and the sooner I get my ring on his daughter the better.¡±


    ¡°You really think he¡¯s going to try for our territory? The council already granted it to our family.¡±


    We reach the front pew and I turn to him. I don¡¯t want the priest overhearing us. ¡°Exactly. So, the sooner I join our families together the better. He won¡¯t have any excuses not to keep with the original agreement. And when I find what I need to prove he¡¯s behind all this legal bullshit, they¡¯ll grant me his territories as repayment.¡±


    I check my watch then look up at the priest. ¡°Are you ready, father?¡± I ask.


    He clears his throat and nods quickly. ¡°Yes, Mr. Staszek. Whenever you are ready to begin.¡±


    I step forward to my spot and Jakub falls in line behind me. Three of my men stand at the back of the chapel; they act as witnesses and protection at the same time. Lena will be pissed she missed this, but our father insisted she return to Pnd with him while I sorted out the mess here.


    ¡°Would you like music?¡± Father Peter leans toward me to ask.


    I could care less, but it¡¯s tradition. Once I see Margaret in the doorway at the back of the church, I give the okay. The deep sounds of an organ y, echoing in the small building.


    Margaret takes a quick nce to the side, then walks down the aisle toward me, carrying a small bouquet of white roses. She gives me a wobbly smile and moves to the pew on my side of the church. The doorway remains empty, however.


    My jaw tenses, and just as I¡¯m about to signal for my men to find her, she appears.


    She¡¯s wearing ck to our wedding.


    ¡°Oh, shit,¡± Jakubughs behind me.


    Father Peter clears his throat again. The old man is ufortable around me to begin with, and now he sees my brideing toward me carrying a single red rose looking as though she¡¯s headed to a funeral instead of her wedding.


    Margaret¡¯s gripping her flowers so tightly, one of the stems breaks off and falls to the floor at her feet. I don¡¯t me her for this. Kasia has her own mind and makes her own decisions.


    The dress is a simple wrap that hugs her hips. A long slit in the side exposes her thigh as she walks. I¡¯m surprised she¡¯s not wearing heels but a pair of ck ts. She¡¯s left her hair down in thick waves around her shoulders, with the right side pulled up behind her ear and held back with a pearl encrusted clip. The same pearl drop earrings she always wears dangle from her earlobes.


    Other than the inappropriate color, the woman looks edible. The neckline is cut deeper than I¡¯m sure the Father is happy about, but it looks good on her. A heavier chested woman would look tacky, would probably fall out of the dress. But Kasia¡¯s subtle breasts, that fit perfectly in my palm, make the dress more elegant.


    She doesn¡¯t lift her gaze from the priest as she makes her way down the aisle. It¡¯s only when she¡¯s at my side that she gifts me with a quick nce. I take her hand in mine and we face the priest.


    Father Peter clears his throat again. Maybe I should have made him have a drink before we started. I¡¯m no threat, but he¡¯s gotten it in his head we¡¯re bad people. We don¡¯t bring our business out this far into the suburbs. We stay in the city, making our money there. This is our home, and we don¡¯t shit where we sleep.


    But rumors spread fast and furious. It seems the church is not immune to judgmental thoughts.


    Father Peter begins his speech, but a curt shake of my head makes him skip ahead. He turns the page of his little book and goes straight to the vows.


    Kasia tries to tug free of my hand when he utters the word obey, but I don¡¯t give an inch. She¡¯ll stay at my side, holding my hand, because that¡¯s where she belongs. Tethered to me for eternity.


    ¡°Kasia,¡± I say quietly when she hesitates to repeat the words. ¡°It¡¯s your turn.¡± I squeeze her hand.


    She swallows and abruptly turns to me. With wide eyes and flushed cheeks, she repeats every word, except one. The important one. The one I¡¯m not going to let her get away with not repeating.


    Father Peter quickly starts to give me my vows, but I hold up a hand to still him.


    ¡°Kasia, you forgot one.¡± I narrow my eyes slightly. ¡°We¡¯ll wait until you finish.¡±


    Father Peter looks at her with horror in his eyes. Does he think so poorly of me he thinks I¡¯ll strike her down in the damn chapel?


    ¡°I said everything I want to say,¡± she raises her chin in absolute defiance. Poor girl thinks she¡¯s safer here, that I won¡¯t force her.


    ¡°Father Peter, if you would remind her of which vow she missed so she can repeat it.¡± I keep my eyes locked on hers. There¡¯s a battle of wills here, and she didn¡¯t bring the right ammunition.


    ¡°Certainly,¡± he says and goes over the vows once more. ¡°You missed obey, my dear. If you¡¯ll just repeat them, we can move forward.¡± There¡¯s desperation in his voice.


    She¡¯s silent for a long stretch. The only sound in the chapel is the creak of the pew when Margaret moves her legs.


    ¡°Please,¡± Father Peter says quietly. ¡°Kasia, do you promise to cherish, honor, and obey your husband until death parts you?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± She squeezes my hand and averts her eyes. I could be aplete dick and make her say the words. I¡¯mforted by the fact that she¡¯ll be repeating an entirely different set of vows once I have her naked in my bed tonight.


    Father Peter speeds through the rest of the ceremony like he¡¯s just been injected with speed. Every time she tries to tug out of my grip, I hold her tighter. Finally, it¡¯s over and he¡¯s announced us husband and wife.


    He nces at her with a pitiful smile before looking to me. ¡°You may kiss your bride,¡± he says.


    I step closer to her, capture her chin in my hand and push her head back until my mouth hovers over hers. The warmth of her breath hits me.


    ¡°Till death do us part, wife,¡± I whisper to her, then seal our vows with a hard kiss.

 15

    Kasia


    Dominik is silent on the drive back to his house. Margaret took the second car with two of Dominik¡¯s soldiers, leaving me alone with him and our driver. His brother left after the ceremony, giving me his congrattions and a feigned wee to the family.


    We make it through the gates of his estate within twenty minutes after leaving the chapel. The ceremony had been so short, the attendance barely notable. Not exactly what little girls imagine for their wedding days, but this isn¡¯t a real marriage. This is a sham.


    I look out my window and drag in a shaky breath. I can¡¯t think this way. It brings a tightness to my chest when I consider how loveless, how empty my life is going to be. How it¡¯s been.


    Lost in my own pity party, I don¡¯t feel the car park.


    ¡°Kasia, we¡¯re home,¡± Dominik says, reaching his hand back into the car for me. I stare at it, the thickness of his fingers, therge palm. This is a man who can hurt me. He¡¯s capable of such horror. And now he¡¯s my own personal nightmare.


    I ce my hand in his and scoot out of the back of the ck SUV. He doesn¡¯t let go when I¡¯m on my own feet. Instead, he holds me tightly and we make our way up the stairs to the house.


    Margaret¡¯s already inside. The kitchen light is on and I hear pots being moved around.


    ¡°Dominik.¡± I pull him to a stop once we¡¯re inside. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. Can you tell Margaret not to bother with dinner?¡± It¡¯ste, already after eight o¡¯clock. I¡¯d rather just take a hot shower and sink into bed. Pretend this evening didn¡¯t happen.


    He stares at me with narrowed eyes for a brief moment, then gives me a small nod. ¡°I¡¯ll speak to her. You go upstairs. I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡±


    Feeling somewhat emboldened by his granting my first request, I move forward with another.


    ¡°About that,¡± I drop his hand. ¡°I¡­ we don¡¯t need to do¡­ anything.¡±


    His lips kick up in a yful grin. I¡¯m d my difort is so amusing to him.


    ¡°But we do, Kasia.¡± He steps closer, taking away the space I created between us. He runs his hand up my arm, snakes it behind my neck and fists my hair. I gasp, unable to get away from him. He¡¯s pulling my hair at the roots.


    ¡°Dominik.¡±


    ¡°You remember this afternoon? When you felt so good in myp? Don¡¯t you want more of that?¡± he asks, brushing his lips along my jaw. A warm shiver runs over my skin.


    ¡°I remember how you used my body against me. I remember how you yed me for an idiot just to get me to agree to something, to make me pliable.¡± I¡¯m angry at myself for falling for it. A man like him¡­ it¡¯s expected behavior. I should have been smarter.


    He pulls back a little, lining up his blue eyes with mine. ¡°Is that what has you so upset? Is that why you wore funeral colors to our wedding?¡± He twists his hand in my hair, but the pain works against me.


    I don¡¯t answer him. Anything I say will be twisted against me.


    Tiny wrinkles form around his eyes as he smiles down at me. ¡°That¡¯s exactly it.¡± He licks my lips. ¡°If mind-bending orgasms piss you off, let¡¯s see how angry I can make you.¡± He lets go of my hair and steps back, gesturing toward the steps. ¡°Go upstairs, Kasia.¡±


    I want to pummel my fists into his chest. Kick my feet into his shins, but it would do no good. The man¡¯s a giant inparison to me. The only damage that would be done would be to me.


    ¡°Kasia,¡± he snaps my name and my eyes jump to his eyes. ¡°Go on,¡± he softens his tone.


    I nce down the hall where Margaret is working in the kitchen. There is no hope for me. I said the words, and now I have to live up to them.


    As I pass him, he touches my arm. It¡¯s a light flitter of a connection. He doesn¡¯t grab me or make any more demands, just touches me as I pass.


    I climb the stairs, wondering how many nights in my life I¡¯ll be sent to his bed with such a heavy heart.


    * * *


    The bedroom door clicks as it closes behind Dominik. I stare out his bedroom window at the rose garden below. The sr powered lights that are spiked into the ground throughout are lit and I can make out the lush bushes with their deep red blooms.


    I¡¯m startled when Dominik puts his hands on my shoulder. For such arge man, he can move without making a sound.


    ¡°You like the gardens,¡± he says, like he¡¯s just figured that out. Maybe he has. The past week hasn¡¯t exactly been used to get to know each other. We¡¯ve avoided each other or been at odds with one another. I still know next to nothing about him.


    ¡°My grandmother had arge rose garden in her yard. It was the only flower she grew. They remind me of her,¡± I say quietly. My father¡¯s mother had braved the risks of starting over with a new life in America. I admired her strength. ¡°She was a strong woman,¡± I say absently.


    He squeezes my shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re stronger than you think.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter now, does it?¡± I turn around in his arms and stare up at him. I¡¯ve already changed out of the dress and thrown it in the garbage. I never want to see the damn thing again.


    ¡°A weak woman is no fun, Kasia. I don¡¯t like doormats.¡±


    I roll my eyes. Isn¡¯t that what he¡¯s made me? I have no choices, no options but to lie still and take what he gives me.


    ¡°Were these your grandmother¡¯s too?¡± he asks, touching the pearl drop earrings.


    ¡°No. My mom¡¯s. She lent them to me the day before-¡± I stop, not wanting to revisit one traumatic moment before living through another.


    ¡°Do you have nothing else of hers?¡± he asks and he sounds genuine in his curiosity.


    ¡°No.¡± There¡¯s no need to hide things from him. Well, aside from the one thing I will never tell him ¨C or my father until I¡¯ve found out everything I need.


    ¡°Your father never gave anything to you because he mes you. If he knew these were hers, he¡¯d take them, too,¡± he says, and I can hear the contempt he carries for my dad.


    ¡°He would,¡± I confirm. The ironic thing, the tragic thing about these earrings, is he gave them to my mother as a birthday present. He doesn¡¯t remember. But I do. She loved them.


    He runs the back of his knuckles across my cheek. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about your parents right now.¡±


    ¡°Probably a good idea,¡± I fight back a smile.


    Dominik touches his fingers to the thin strap of my nightgown. ¡°Even though the color was all wrong, the dress you wore tonight was beautiful on you.¡± He gently tugs the straps over my shoulders. Goosebumps pepper my flesh as his featherlike touch trails down my arms, bringing my nightgown with it.


    His touch isn¡¯t new. My arousal to him isn¡¯t new, but this burning sensation inside me shakes me still. What happenedst night, what took ce this afternoon hasn¡¯t prepared me for this moment.


    He nudges my chin up and for a brief moment I findfort in his stare. There¡¯s a hunger lurking there, a need that matches mine.


    ¡°So beautiful,¡± he whispers and brushes his full lips across mine. It¡¯s a tease. I reach for him when he sweeps across a second time and he presses himself against me. One hand cradles my head while the other pushes the white nightgown down until it¡¯s a pool of satin at my feet.


    I bring my hands up, pressing them against his chest. I can feel him, all of him. His cock is hard against my body. The ck cks of his suit do nothing to hide it from me. He steps back a little, enough to sweep his gaze over my naked form.


    He¡¯s seen my pussy before, he touched my breasts this afternoon, but this is the first time he¡¯s seen mepletely nude. His gaze unsettles me, and I lift my arms to cover myself.


    ¡°No, Kasia.¡± He brushes my arms away. ¡°Never cover yourself. Stand there for me,¡± he says and tugs at the tie around his neck. I¡¯m helpless to move while he slowly tugs the ck tie from his shirt.


    He stalks around me, tossing his jacket to the armchair near the dresser. My skin heats beneath his attention. Fabric shuffles from behind me and when he makes his way back in my line of sight, his dress shirt is missing. Easily, he kicks out of his shoes and yanks off his socks, tossing them aside. Now he¡¯s standing in front of me, standing only in his ck cks and a white t-shirt.


    I try to avert my gaze, but I can¡¯t stop looking at him. At the strength disyed in his muscles. The dark inked tattoos on his chest peeking out of his t-shirt. Something written in Polish curves around his left bicep.


    He pulls his t-shirt over his head and drops it in the same puddle as my nightgown. The ck tie dangles over one shoulder.


    I lick my lips. How long must I stand like this, being observed, calcted. A sense of unease creeps over me and I bend my arm, wanting to cover just a bit of myself from him. To shield myself from his prowess.


    His lips spread into an approving grin. I¡¯ve yed right into his hands. Slowly, he pulls the tie from his shoulder, his eyes never leaving mine. With each step he takes toward me, I retreat until I¡¯m backed against the bed.


    ¡°Let me help you, Kasia.¡± He gently grabs my wrists and pulls them in front of me. Winding the soft fabric around my wrists, he binds them together, while leaving enough for a leash of sorts.


    ¡°Dominik,¡± I say, but I have no idea what shoulde next.


    He brushes my hair over my shoulders and pulls me against him. And there he is again, all strength and power.


    As though he can sense my indecision, he wraps his hand around the back of my neck and pulls me into his kiss. There¡¯s nothing gentle here, just raw ownership. When he pulls back, there¡¯s a satisfaction in his eyes. He¡¯s conquering me with his touch.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stiffen up on me yet, Kasia.¡± He cups my breast, flicking my nipple with his thumb. My nerves vibrate with his touch. Too easily I fall into him when he touches me like this.


    He releases my breast and trails his hand down my torso, until he¡¯s cupping my sex. I swallow back the moan that threatens to escape.


    ¡°My wife is wet for me,¡± he whispers into my ear. He¡¯s trimmed his beard, but it still tickles my face as he rubs his chin over my cheek. ¡°I can practically smell your arousal.¡±


    I turn away from him. My face is too hot, I must be blushing from head to toe.


    He chuckles.


    One finger slides through my wet pussy lips and thrusts up into my passage. I lean into him.


    ¡°So ready for me.¡± He kisses my cheek. ¡°On the bed,¡± he says and slowly pulls his finger from me.


    With my hands tied, I can only sit on the mattress and scoot back onto the bed. Probably not the sexiest thing he¡¯s ever seen, but he lets it go withoutment. My gaze flies to his hands that are working his belt open and then undoing the button on his trousers. He shoves his pants, along with his boxers, down and my throat clenches.


    While keeping his eyesser focused on me, he wraps one hand around his long, thick shaft.


    ¡°Lay back, Kasia,¡± he says, climbing onto the bed, one knee between my legs. He helps me to my back then pulls the small lead of the tie up until my arms are stretched over my head. I watch his expression, the way he licks his lips, the way his jaw tightens as he winds the lead around one of the poles of his headboard.


    I think he¡¯s made the headboard specially for this purpose, because in no time I¡¯m tied to his bed.


    He kneels between my open legs and looks down at me. I have no recourse now, I¡¯mpletely at his mercy.


    ¡°Remind me of your vows, Kasia,¡± he says, covering my body with his own. The tip of his cock rests just at my entrance. He leans to the side, capturing my clit between two of his fingers.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°What?¡± I blink. This new pleasure he¡¯s giving me makes me lose track of the conversation.


    ¡°Your vows, Kasia. Say them for me again.¡± He lines up his gaze with mine. ¡°All of them.¡±


    I know what he wants. He wants my promise to obey him. I managed to get away without saying the exact wording at the chapel. The priest had taken pity on me, or he simply didn¡¯t want to see how angry Dominik could get.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°I want to hear you say the words, go on, Kasia. Let me make you feel good, but first, you have to give me the words.¡± He pinches my clit, sending an electric fire through to my core. Fuck, it hurts in the best way.


    He¡¯s not going to let me up until I do this. He¡¯ll keep me on the brink; he¡¯ll find new ways to punish me until I give over.


    There¡¯s no one else here. I can give him this. It¡¯s just us.


    ¡°I¡¯ll obey you, Dominik,¡± I whisper. A surge of arousal sweeps through me with my vow. How many hidden buttons are there in my libido?

 16

    He grins, then kisses me. A soft kiss that leads quickly into the fierceness I¡¯vee to depend on from him. There¡¯s a gentleness to him, beneath the power, but it doesn¡¯t override the animal in him that draws out the animal in myself.


    With a shift of his weight, he moves his hand and his cock is pressed against my entrance again. He slides the head of his dick through my folds, there¡¯s enough wetness to coat him.


    As he slides forward, I tense, squeezing my eyes closed.


    ¡°Rx, Kasia. Don¡¯t make it harder¡­ fuck¡­ don¡¯t¡­¡± His lips clench together. ¡°You have to rx. You¡¯re so tight. I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡±


    He pushes forward more, and I hiss at the stretch. I¡¯m going to rip. He¡¯s so much bigger than any toy I¡¯ve ever used to take the edge off.


    ¡°Shhh.¡± He cups the side of my face and forces my gaze to lock with his. ¡°Just look at me, Kasia. Look at me, and you¡¯ll be fine,¡± he promises, but when he moves again the pain is back.


    ¡°Please,¡± I whine, but it¡¯s not for him to stop. No, I want more. I want it all and I want it now. My clit throbs with desire to be touched.


    He swoops down and kisses me, biting down on my lower lip while he thrusts in one quick movement all the way into me. I cry out into his mouth from the instant fullness, the burning.


    ¡°Give it a second,¡± he says, but I don¡¯t listen. I nt my feet on the bed and arch my back until I can move my hips against him.


    ¡°Fuck. You¡¯re too tight, Kasia.¡± He holds my hips down with one hand and reaches between us with the other. ¡°I want you toe so hard you scream down the house.¡± He moves within me now, slowly at first, but then he thrusts harder and faster.


    ¡°Dominik!¡± I pull on the restraints. I want to touch him, to hold him, to dig my nails into his flesh.


    He must sense my need, because he quickly unties me from the bed, and pulls the tie from my wrists. All the while he¡¯s plowing into me again and again. I grab hold of his shoulders and move along with him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± he tries to hold my hips down, but I¡¯m too fevered. The pain has dulled, and I want more of it, more of him.


    ¡°Hard, Kasia. Come hard.¡± His voice is strained, raw with his order.


    ¡°Dominik!¡± I scream his name as I¡¯m blindsided by the tsunami of pleasure that crashes over my body. Too fast, too hard. I scream his name again and again as the waves rip through my body.


    Only as Ie back down, when my breath isbored and my heart is nearly outside my chest, does he sessfully pin me down and fuck me harder than I thought possible this first time. Nothing I thought I knew about this was right. I expected gentleness. Tenderness. I expected candles and flowers.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± he bellows and plows into me one more time and stills. His cock throbs inside me as hees, hot sticky cum pours into my passage.


    His breath is shallow when he opens his eyes and looks down at me. For a moment I think he doesn¡¯t register who I am, but quickly the confusion passes and his jaw clenches.


    Easing out of me, he sits on the edge of the bed. The lighting is low, but I can make out the trail of blood on his cock. I bled.


    I¡¯m too old for that aren¡¯t I? How could that be?


    Without a sound, he shoves off the bed and disappears into the bathroom. I ease my legs closed and quickly snatch up my nightgown, throwing it over my head before hees back. The dull ache between my thighs increases with my movements. When he returns, he¡¯s wearing a pair of boxers and carrying a towel.


    I let him gently push me back onto the bed and wipes between my legs. Another streak of blood dots the cloth. It¡¯s not much, but it¡¯s there.


    He frowns.


    ¡°We should have gone slower,¡± he says and brings the towel, along with his dirty suit from the floor to the closet.


    Do I sleep here now, or should I go back to my room? He answers for me by pulling back the covers and gesturing for me to get under them. I press myself to the end of the bed, but once he¡¯s climbed in, he grabs me and drags me across the bed into him.


    I swallow, unsure of what to say, what to think, how to feel. I¡¯m not angry. I¡¯m not filled with the hate I thought I¡¯d have for him.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± he asks quietly through the darkness.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Are you?¡± I ask.


    He chuckles and kisses the back of my head. ¡°Go to sleep, Kasia.¡±


    And unlike what I promised myself I would never do, I obey my husband.


    Dominik


    Last night won¡¯t stop reying in my mind. There¡¯replications between us, but thenst night was easy. Kasia responds so quickly, so naturally to my touch, it¡¯s hard not to get lost in her.


    If I didn¡¯t have to be in the city all day, I would have rolled her over this morning and taken her again. But I have things to do, information to gather.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    That¡¯s why I¡¯m at the Katfish Klub, our newest investment, in the middle of the day. Jakub gets information better than anyone I know.


    ¡°This one?¡± Jakub waves over a woman from the wall. She hurries toward us in high heels, ck stockings, and a shimmering dress.


    ¡°Jakub, how is she supposed to carry drinks in that get up?¡± I ask, waving my hand in her direction. She looks somewhat relieved that one of us is thinking. ¡°Can you even breathe in that?¡± I ask her.


    She looks to Jakub, who gives her a small nod. Permission to speak.


    ¡°Not easily, sir. It¡¯s a little restrictive,¡± she says, running her hands over the leather corset.


    ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll try again.¡± Jakub waves her away and plops down at the bar in the stool beside me. ¡°I hate this ce. Why did we buy it?¡±


    ¡°Because once you do what you do best, it will make us three times what thest owner was making.¡± I remind him. ¡°And it gives us a legitimate business.¡±


    He frowns. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll keep working on it.¡± He swivels around in the stool and looks at me. ¡°I suppose you want the information you asked me for.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m that transparent, am I?¡±


    He deadpans. ¡°To me, you are. I mean, I¡¯d like to think as my older brother, youe into the city for more reasons than just work, but I know you. All you do is work.¡± He reaches over the bar and pulls out a thick man folder. ¡°I brought this down when I saw you pull up.¡± Heys his hand on top of it.

 17

    ¡°What is it?¡± I sigh. My brother has a ir for the dramatic. I usually y into it because he knows things I don¡¯t about people. He listens to the gossip, knows who is doing what. I don¡¯t have to do those things because he does them for me.


    ¡°Kasia has been working with a private detective for thest year.¡± He is also a man who can get straight to the point when needed.


    ¡°What?¡± I reach for the folder, but he swipes it away.


    ¡°She¡¯s been paying him a monthly fee, but the guy¡¯s a washed-up asshole. He takes her money but doesn¡¯t do shit.¡±


    ¡°What does she want him to do?¡± I ask. Private detectives have contacts in the police department. Having men like him poking around families like mine and Kasia¡¯s father isn¡¯t safe. She should know better.


    ¡°She wants him to find who was involved in the car ident. Apparently, she doesn¡¯t believe it was just some drunk.¡± He finally slides the folder over to me. ¡°What¡¯s in here is his contact information, some of the snapshots I got of him, and a few police reports. He has a rap sheet almost as long as mine.¡± He smirks.


    I flip through the folder. ¡°What did you find in her emails?¡± After finding her in my office and seeing that bogus email ount on the screen, I asked Jakub to find the real one. I knew she was hiding something, and I was right.


    ¡°Mostly just emails to this DeGrazio asshole. She used it for school, so there was a bunch of stuff to and from her professors.¡±


    ¡°And her texts?¡± I push. She¡¯s not going to like that I¡¯ve dug so hard into her life, but the means justify it.


    ¡°More of the same. A few messages to the detective wondering if he had anything ¨C after he doesn¡¯t answer her emails. A few to a study group. She could have deleted anything important, but I doubt it.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I ask, curious of his opinion.


    He shrugs. ¡°She doesn¡¯t exactly live the most exciting life. Her calendar was filled with school shit, tests, paper dates, graduation stuff. Contact list was short; other than Marcin she had maybe half a dozen personal contacts. Everything else was professional shit.¡±


    ¡°Marcin kept her sheltered,¡± I say, but there¡¯s more to it than that. People are just like things, easily taken away. If she¡¯d surrounded herself with a lot of friends Marcin could use them against her. He could block her from them if she didn¡¯t y his games right.


    ¡°How are things with her anyway? I mean, you tie the knotst night but you¡¯re here doing business today?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll settle in. It will be fine.¡± I check the time.


    ¡°Have you talked with Dad recently?¡± he asks, lowering his voice even though we¡¯re the only ones in the room. The girls have all gone off to put on the next uniform option.


    ¡°A few days ago. I talked with his attorney this morning, that¡¯s where I just came from. He¡¯s confident he¡¯ll have it all squared away by the end of the month.¡±


    ¡°Next time you go to thewyer, I want to go with.¡± He raises his chin. ¡°I should know what¡¯s going on, too.¡± There¡¯s a hint of defensiveness in his tone, but I don¡¯t argue with him. He¡¯s the second son and has spent more time partying than getting down to business. But I can¡¯t deny he¡¯s starting toe around.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll let you know. The whole case is bullshit. They have no tangible evidence. They audited the books and came up with nothing. Not a single receipt was out of bnce.¡± That¡¯s why we pay the number crunchers so fucking well. ¡°It¡¯s all just a campaign to cause trouble. Marcin¡¯s behind it, I know it. He stands to get everything if our family is hit hard. They¡¯ll give him our territories and none of his businesses will roll to us when he dies.¡± Which is going to be a lot sooner than the fucker thinks, if I can prove he¡¯s behind the witch hunt that sent my father into hiding.


    ¡°And this shit with Marcin?¡± he prods.


    ¡°I have almost enough condemning information. Once everything¡¯s cleared here, we can take it to the old men back home.¡± It¡¯s not much, an overheard conversation. I need the money trail, and as soon as I get that it will be locked.


    ¡°You look ready to bolt; you need to be somewhere?¡± He pushes my shoulder. ¡°I have two more uniforms to show you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to pick it yourself. I have just enough time to make a stop before I need to be at the ountant¡¯s office on the south side. He might have the money trail we need to get permission to move forward. Just send me a picture of the one you like.¡± I p his shoulder and grab the folder from the bar top. ¡°Thanks for this, Jakub.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He waves me off.¡± Go. I¡¯ll just sit here and put this damn club together.¡±


    Iugh. He grumbles, but building up clubs is his specialty. He flips night clubs the way real estate moguls do houses. But this time, he¡¯s not flipping it, this time we¡¯re keeping it. Legit businesses are needed in our world, and this one will serve us well.


    * * *


    Erik DeGrazio, private detective, wasn¡¯t hard to find. When he wasn¡¯t at his office, his secretary pointed toward the dive bar across the street. That¡¯s where I found him. Slumped over a half drunken beer, watching the Cubs getting their asses handed to them on the big screen television. His gray shaggy hair hangs over his ears, and his thick stic-rimmed sses slide down his nose. He pushes them back up with his pudgy finger.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°So, this is what my wife is paying you good fucking money for,¡± I say, sliding into the stool beside him at the empty bar. The bartender looks up at me but quickly makes the right decision and heads to the other side of the room. There¡¯re a few stragglers watching the game. But they¡¯re either too drunk or too jaded to care what Mr. DeGrazio and I are talking about.


    ¡°Who¡¯s your wife?¡± His words slur.


    I shake my head. Washed up ex-cop probably.


    ¡°Kasia Garska. She¡¯s a Staszek now, though.¡±


    His eyes widen, fixate on me, then he looks at the door.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere,¡± I assure him and pat his shoulder. ¡°I just want to know what you¡¯ve found out so far.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asks. Fear makes his lip tremble, or maybe it¡¯s the liquor.


    ¡°Dominik Staszek, her husband.¡±


    His lips puff outward when he blows out a breath.


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    ¡°Well, that depends. What information do you have for me?¡± I ask, pushing his beer away from him.


    ¡°Look. I haven¡¯t told her anything. I keep telling her there¡¯s nothing. I keep telling her, but she keeps sending me money and telling me to keep looking.¡± He puts up both his hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking what you told her. I¡¯m asking what you found.¡± I lean closer to him. ¡°And I don¡¯t have a lot of time, so don¡¯t fuck with me.¡±


    He nods quick and blinks several times. Maybe he¡¯s trying to reset his brain.


    ¡°Okay, okay.¡± He blows out another breath. ¡°The guy driving the car ¨C ording to the police report ¨C was high as a fucking kite.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± I roll my hand in the air when he pauses.


    ¡°His brakes were cut.¡±


    My interest piques.


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°The guy, he was a small-time dealer for the Kominskis. Once I found that out, I stopped looking. I didn¡¯t tell her anything. I just let it go. But she won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You keep cashing her checks though?¡± I¡¯d also like to know where her moneyes from, but I¡¯ll find that outter. When I question my secretive wife.


    ¡°I won¡¯t anymore,¡± he vows with wide open eyes. I can¡¯t fault the man too much. It was smart to stop looking. Turning over rocks in my world can find a man bitten by something much worse than an angry mosquito. The Kominskis aren¡¯t a family to mess around with. Sticking his nose into that hos¡¯ nest wouldn¡¯t have ended well for him.


    ¡°No. You won¡¯t. If she contacts you again, you call me.¡± I pull out a business card and shove it into the chest pocket of his Members Only jacket.


    ¡°I got it,¡± he says with a hard nod. ¡°You really married her?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. DeGrazio. I did.¡± I p his back and head toward the door. I have more questions for him, but I need him sober. I¡¯ll call on him again when he¡¯s clear headed.


    But first, I have an interrogation to get to.

 18

    Kasia


    ¡°You have a phone call, dear.¡± Margaret brings me the handheld while I sit beneath the willow with my kindle. It¡¯s quickly be my favorite spot. Dominik had a new set of cushioned recliningwn chairs with a table delivered and set up beneath the tree for me.


    ¡°Is it Dominik?¡± I ask as I take the receiver from her. I haven¡¯t seen my husband sincest night. When I woke this morning, it was to a chilled spot beside me in his bed.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s Tammy,¡± Margaret says with confidence, like she knows her. Why would Tammy be calling on the house phone, how would she have even gotten the number? We haven¡¯t spoken since we roomed together sophomore year.


    ¡°Oh.¡± I try not to sound surprised, but it¡¯s not like Tammy and I were close friends.


    I wait until Margaret¡¯s back in the house before I put the phone to my ear.


    ¡°Tammy?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Kasia. One sec.¡± The phone shuffles.


    ¡°Kasia.¡±


    My heart drops.


    ¡°Dad?¡±


    ¡°Your father. yes. You remember me, don¡¯t you?¡± There¡¯s a sharp bite to his tone. ¡°I have to resort to tricking that housekeeper in order to get you on the phone? My own daughter? What has that asshole done?¡± There¡¯s no concern, only irritation.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. He said you were going out of town.¡± If he¡¯s with Tammy, he must still be in the city.


    ¡°Change of ns,¡± he says. ¡°What have you found out?¡±


    Does he know of the marriage?


    ¡°Dad,st night-¡±


    ¡°I heard. You married him. What have you found out?¡±


    I¡¯m not sure what I expected, or hoped he would say, but to brush it off as so inconsequential stings. I know who he is, I¡¯ve felt his disapproval, but this stings still. No matter what, he¡¯s my father. My only true family.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I say quietly. Another disappointment. ¡°He found me snooping.¡±


    There¡¯s a long silence.


    ¡°You found nothing?¡± His voice is like a boulder dropping from the mountain tops.


    Doesn¡¯t he want to know what Dominik did when he caught me?


    ¡°No, Dad. There wasn¡¯t anything in his office, nothing on hisputer. He probably doesn¡¯t keep his business here at the house.¡±


    ¡°Then you need to find out what he¡¯s doing some other way. Go with him when he goes into the city. See who he¡¯s talking to.¡±


    I dig my fingernails into my knee.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have¡­ employees that do that sort of thing?¡± I ask, desperate to get away from this subject.


    ¡°I have a daughter that¡¯s sleeping with the man!¡± I pull the phone slightly away from my ear when he yells. ¡°You should be able to handle this! Be useful, Kasia.¡±


    Be useful. How many times did he bark the same demand at me while I was growing up?Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    I lean my head back against the cushion of the chair and look up at the leaves blowing in the summer breeze above me. It¡¯s hot today.


    ¡°Kasia.¡±


    ¡°I heard you,¡± I whisper. ¡°He¡¯s not going to tell me anything.¡± I close my eyes.


    ¡°Then make him talk. Make him tell you or show you. You¡¯re a woman, spread those legs of yours and get the information I need.¡±


    My nails go further into my skin, pinching, piercing.


    ¡°How did he get you to agree for me to take Diana¡¯s ce? What does he have over you? You¡¯ve done something. You¡¯re doing something that is going to get you into trouble. What is it, Dad?¡±


    ¡°Stay out of my business, Kasia and do what you¡¯re told!¡±


    Before I can respond, the phone is taken out of my hand. I open my eyes to find Dominik standing over me with it pushed against his ear.


    ¡°Hello?¡± he says, keeping his eyes fixated on me. His jaw is tight. With one hand in his pocket, he gives the appearance of being causal, but I¡¯m learning him. He¡¯s pissed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call this number again, old man,¡± he says without waiting for any response from the other side of the call. ¡°You have my direct line; you call that if you need to talk with my wife. I¡¯ll arrange something.¡± He doesn¡¯t wait for an answer, just clicks the call off.


    He looks at me then moves to the empty chair on the other side of the table and sits down. I stare straight ahead, waiting for the punishment to be announced. I spoke to my father when I said I wouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was him when Margaret gave me the phone,¡± I say, fixing my attention on the rose garden.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t just hang up on him,¡± I continue, still not looking at him.


    After a long silence he says, ¡°I know.¡±


    Relief floods me. At least he¡¯s being reasonable.


    ¡°There are things about your father you don¡¯t know, Kasia,¡± he speaks in a low volume, but he¡¯s not angry. He¡¯s being straight with me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there are a lot of things about you that I don¡¯t know, that I don¡¯t want to know.¡± I recall the night he took me. The woman he had kidnapped in order to make someone pay a debt.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a good man. I won¡¯t say I am, but your father¡­ there are things that I won¡¯t do that he has no trouble doing.¡±


    I blink and look past the roses, off into the distance where the brick wall surrounds the estate. Where men walk along the wall while we¡¯re out here, protecting us from the even worse men that are on the other side of it.


    ¡°Whatever the problem you have with my father is, it¡¯s your problem. You two can fight like children all you want. Just leave me out of it.¡± I push out of my chair and start to walk back to the house.


    He snatches my hand and yanks me into hisp. My chin is captured by his massive hand and he pulls me to him for a long, deep, passionate kiss that leaves my mind swirling. When he breaks it off, he rubs the tip of his nose over my chin.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I leave you alone?¡± he whispers, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m meant to hear it. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you a question, Kasia, and you have to be honest with me. If you lie, if you bend the truth or try to hide from me, you¡¯ll be very, very sorry.¡± Any tenderness he may have had a moment ago is gone, reced with firm demand.


    ¡°What do you want now, Dominik?¡± I ask. Everyone has questions for me, everyone wants answers I don¡¯t have.


    Be useful.


    ¡°Why do you think the ident wasn¡¯t an ident?¡± He doesn¡¯t need to be more specific. I know what he¡¯s talking about, and a wave of nausea hits me. He knows.


    Of course, he does.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to stuff your fingers in me first? Make mee for you again out here before I answer you?¡±


    ¡°No. You¡¯ll answer me first. I¡¯m not ying games, Kasia.¡± He grabs hold of my hand, pushing it off my leg and exposing the crescent-shaped cuts in my leg. ¡°While you were talking to your father?¡± he asks,pletely ignoring what I¡¯ve said to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m going inside.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± He holds me in hisp. ¡°You¡¯re going to answer my questions and without all the attitude.¡±


    I blow out a breath.


    ¡°Kasia, you¡¯re my wife now. We can make this easy between us or we can make it difficult.¡± He touches my leg again.


    ¡°How is anything between us easy?¡± The only part of us that actually works without hostility is when he¡¯s making my body crave him. Sex. We¡¯re good at sex.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start at the beginning.¡± He traces the little marks again. ¡°First, did you do this when you were talking to your father?¡±


    I sigh. ¡°Yes.¡±


    He drags his eyes up to mine, there¡¯s concern there. ¡°No more, Kasia. If he gets you on the phone, you hang up on him. Promise me.¡±


    Promises andmands, it¡¯s all everyone throws at me.


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°Look what he makes you do to yourself,¡± he says, tapping the little cuts. There¡¯s a trace of blood in one of them. It will bruise, I¡¯m sure.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t-¡± I cut myself off. ¡°What else did you want, Dominik?¡±


    ¡°I want you to tell me about the ident. Why do you think there¡¯s more to it?¡±


    Can I trust him with this? Or will he tell me to drop it like my father had when I brought my thoughts to him.


    His grip intensifies on my wrist. I¡¯m not going anywhere until I give him what he wants.


    ¡°It just didn¡¯t seem right. The car that hit them didn¡¯t even slow down.¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡± He pushes, letting go of my wrist. ¡°He was high, Kasia. That makes sense.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just that, they¡¯d seen him following them. It was like he was tailing them, driving ahead of them to get in front and then he¡¯de out of an alley and be behind them again. Like he was trying to find a way to get to them. It¡¯s not right. And no one was arrested. Not even a traffic vition.¡±


    ¡°The driver of the other car died too,¡± he points out.


    ¡°The drivers of the other cars on the street didn¡¯t even stick around to give a statement. They just left.¡±


    He narrows his eyes. ¡°Then how do you know they were being followed by this car?¡±


    I lower my gaze, take a shaky breath.


    ¡°I was on the phone with Diana.¡±


    ¡°During the ident?¡±


    I flick away a tear from the corner of my eye. ¡°She wasining about the traffic and about the weird guy following them. Mom told her to just calm down, it was just traffic. That the guy was probably just lost.¡±


    He holds my hands, and for a moment I can feel the strength seeping from him into me.


    ¡°You heard everything?¡± His voice dips, like he¡¯s afraid I¡¯ll run if he talks too loudly.


    I swallow. ¡°I heard my sister scream and my mom yell. I heard the crunch¡­¡± I blink a few times and suck in air. ¡°I heard my mom¡­¡±


    ¡°What did she say?¡± he asks, brushing my hair from my face. ¡°Kasia, what did you hear her say?¡±


    ¡°She said she was sorry.¡± I finally turn my gaze to him. ¡°What would she be sorry for?¡±


    ¡°Did you tell your dad this?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I shook my head. ¡°Not that part. He was¡­ upset about everything. He¡¯d told me to pick her up. It should have been me, and then it wouldn¡¯t have happened. I would have been on time; we wouldn¡¯t have been there at that time.¡± The same guilt runs on a loop, tearing apart my insides.


    ¡°Your dad didn¡¯t want to look into it, so you went and hired this DeGrazio guy.¡± He fills in the rest for me.


    ¡°You looked through my phone and myputer, didn¡¯t you?¡± I ask, straightening my spine. ¡°Of course, you did. You know, you don¡¯t like my father, but you two aren¡¯t that different.¡±


    He raises his brows. ¡°We can talk about thatter if you want, but right now, I want an answer to something else.¡±


    He¡¯s a man on a mission and won¡¯t be derailed.


    ¡°What?¡± I¡¯m tired of all the inquiries.


    ¡°How are you paying him?¡±


    ¡°When my grandmother died, she left a fund for me and Diana. When I was eighteen it rolled into my control and my dad couldn¡¯t touch it. I¡¯ve been using that.¡± And it¡¯s almost gone now. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell him to stop looking, did you?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to be involved. I have men much better than that washed-up piece of shit.¡±


    I pull back from him to take in his expression. He¡¯s serious. He¡¯s not ying with me.


    ¡°You¡¯d have your men look into this for me?¡±


    He cups the side of my face. ¡°You¡¯re my wife, Kasia. If it¡¯s important to you, it¡¯s important to me. But I don¡¯t want you to ever go behind my back, do you understand? Never on your own, you don¡¯t have to do that anymore.¡±


    I doubt he understands the weight of his words. How easily he can crush me with a few sybles.


    ¡°You talked to him.¡±


    ¡°I did.¡± He surprises me with the truth. It shouldn¡¯t. As far as I know, he¡¯s never lied to me.


    ¡°He found something but hasn¡¯t told me, is that it?¡± I¡¯ve suspected DeGrazio wasn¡¯t giving me information he had, but all I could do was keep pushing. Seeing the truth on Dominik¡¯s face, I realize what a pathetic fool I¡¯ve been.


    ¡°I know everything he knows, and now my men will take it from here. But Kasia, you have to swear to me no more ying detective. No paying anyone else to do it, and no talking with your father until we figure this all out.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t think he had anything to do with it.¡±


    He pauses a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°So, I just sit here while you go off every day.¡± As much as I love reading in this gorgeous yard, there¡¯s more for me out there.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, then yes. Or you can start looking for a teaching job.¡±


    I blink. I couldn¡¯t have heard him right. Dad never let Mom even think of working. He¡¯d only let me get my degree to dangle the carrot of some sense of freedom. I don¡¯t think he ever intended to let me have a life free of him. The more control he has the more he can punish me for ruining everything for him.


    ¡°How would that work? You won¡¯t even let me go shopping without two of your men trailing around me.¡±


    He nods. ¡°That¡¯s true. But we¡¯ll figure something out.¡±


    I¡¯m not sure who this man is sitting with me beneath the tree. Where¡¯s his steely demeanor? It¡¯s unsettling.


    ¡°Speaking of shopping. Did you get anything else besides that funeral dress for the wedding when you were out with Margaret?¡±


    The wedding dress was petty, I can admit that.


    ¡°No, just that.¡±


    He pats my knee. ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to wear something in your closet.¡± He gently moves me off hisp and stands with me. He picks up my discarded kindle and takes my hand.


    ¡°You want me to wear a dress? Why?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going out.¡±


    It¡¯s the only answer he gives me.


    And once again, I find myself obeying him.

 19

    Dominik


    Techno music vibrates the walls of the club as I walk through the side doors with Kasia at my side. She kept to herself on the drive into the city. It took a lot out of her, I think, to tell me what she did. I wonder how many times she¡¯s reyed that phone call in her mind over the years. I wonder how many times she tortured herself with thest words her mother spoke.


    Marcin Garska is a fucking prick. I was never disillusioned on that fact but seeing Kasia has shown me how fast his trip to hell will be.


    I¡¯d gotten home with the intent of forcing her to answer questions. I was willing to do whatever I needed to in order to get the truth from her, expecting her to fight me. But as I marched across thewn and saw the tension in her body, saw how tightly her eyes were squeezed closed and her fingers pressing into her flesh the way they were, the only thing that mattered was getting her off that fucking call.


    Marcin threw a few threats at me when I got on the phone, but they mean nothing. He cares nothing for his daughter. The more I find out, the clearer that has be.


    Jakub greets me at the entrance to the main floor. He smiles at Kasia and kisses both of her cheeks. I don¡¯t like it ¨C him touching her, but I don¡¯t say anything. He¡¯s being polite. They¡¯re family now.


    ¡°You want the VIP room upstairs?¡± he shouts the question in my ear.


    I nce down at Kasia. She¡¯s wearing a sparkling dress that hugs her body, showing off the curve of her hips, the small swell of her breasts. My instinct is to hide her away. Not to let anyone see her. She¡¯s mine.


    ¡°Leave it open for us,¡± I say, as a slow melody begins to y. Kasia leans forward to see around me toward the dance floor. She¡¯s left her long, blonde hair down but I see the pearl earrings dangling. A constant reminder of who she lost. I wonder if she¡¯s wearing them because she misses her mother or if she¡¯s trying to punish herself by never forgetting.


    Jakub walks off to tell the staff to leave the room open for me and I tug on Kasia¡¯s hand, pulling her toward the dance floor. She hesitates, but it only takes a small tug to get herpliance. I may not have punished her for talking with her father, and for keeping her secret, but things haven¡¯t changed. If I want her with me, she¡¯ll be with me.


    Once on the dance floor, I spin around to face her, putting my arms around her waist and pulling her to me. She looks uncertain but wraps her hands around my neck. It¡¯s been years since I¡¯ve moved on the dance floor with a woman, but I find my feet quickly. Kasia, to my surprise, follows my lead easily as we make our way around the floor.


    She turns her cheek and presses it to my chest. The music pours over us and all I can feel is her against me. There¡¯s so much more to this girl than being a pawn for her father to maneuver. For men like me to move about.


    I tuck her under my chin and continue to move to the beat. She¡¯s not wearing high heels like the other women in the club. Even though she¡¯s so much shorter than me, and fits perfectly in my arms, she wears t shoes. Such a contradiction, my wife.


    We turn once more around the floor and I¡¯m distracted by two men standing near the stairs leading up to the VIP section. I tense. I wasn¡¯t looking for a meeting tonight, but it seems business follows me everywhere.


    ¡°I have to speak to someone, Kasia.¡± I stop our dance and slide my hands down her arms until I capture one hand in mine.


    She follows my gaze to the men and frowns.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    I kiss the top of her head. ¡°Do you want to wait down here at the bar, or do you want to go to the office. It won¡¯t be long.¡± A few minutes only. Enough to get the information I¡¯ve been waiting for.


    She looks over at the bar. ¡°I¡¯ll wait out here. I¡¯ll get a drink. ¡±


    I walk her to the bar, settle her on the high stool and gesture for the bartender. ¡°Anything you want, Kasia. But not too much of it, okay?¡± I kiss her temple and move my mouth down her to ear. ¡°I have ns for you when we get home.¡±


    She bites down hard on her lip. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Dominik. I might be tired. It¡¯s been a long day,¡± she teases me, and the simpleness of it lightens my chest.


    I cage her against the bar with my arms, and bite down on her earlobe. ¡°Try to deny me, Kasia. I dare you.¡±


    It¡¯s loud in the club, but I still hear the little gasp my words have caused. My cock is already steel hard in my pants.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be long.¡± I kiss her once more, and gesture to the bartender she¡¯s ready to give her order. Straightening up, I pull the cuffs of my shirt from under my jacket.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Jakub meets me at the edge of the dance floor, and we take the men up to the VIP room. I¡¯ll be able to keep an eye on Kasia from there. She¡¯s a grown woman, and I have men in the club watching out for her, but I don¡¯t like the darkness rolling through me at the idea of leaving her at the bar.


    ¡°What can I get you?¡± Jakub asks as we all sit down at the table.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± I put my hand up and set my firm gaze on the Kominski brothers. ¡°What do you have for me.¡±


    ¡°I talked to my father this afternoon,¡± the older of them, Christopher, says. ¡°You know he¡¯s ill.¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± I nod. The old man is on death¡¯s door, but that¡¯s not what interests me.


    ¡°He wants to be sure you understand we had no idea the Garska girl was promised to you.¡± He continues, adjusting his tie.


    ¡°No formal announcement was made.¡± There hadn¡¯t been any reason to; it was a simple marriage for alliance.


    ¡°Okay, just-¡± He nces at Jakub then back at me. ¡°As long as you know, we had no idea she was connected to you in any way.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± I give a firm nod. Whatever he¡¯s going to tell me is bad. He wouldn¡¯t be so damn nervous if it was nothing.


    ¡°When we heard you were asking around about it, we came right to you,¡± James, the younger brother interjects. The Kominski family has a small territory on the south side. There¡¯s no rivalry orpetition here. But to offend my father could still cause them trouble. Ourmunity isn¡¯trge; word spreads like wildfire between families.


    ¡°I appreciate that.¡± I nce over the railing to where Kasia sits at the bar. She¡¯s nursing a ss of wine, swirling it around the ss, seemingly lost in thought.


    ¡°So?¡± Jakub knocks his knuckles on the table. ¡°What do you want to tell us.¡±


    Christopher eyes him briefly then concentrates on me. ¡°My father¡¯s ounting is that he was ordered to take out that car,¡± he says, switching to Polish for this part of our conversation. Christopher leans back in the chair, as though getting the words out has lifted some weight off his chest.


    ¡°Take out the Garska car?¡± I rify, schooling my features.


    ¡°Yes. He was given information of when it would be at that intersection and he was to take out the car.¡±


    ¡°So the asshole driving, he was just one of your own targets?¡± Jakub asks.


    Christopher nods. ¡°He was on the hook with my father, he was gone one way or another. He chose the right way to go out.¡±


    ¡°Chose? You mean he was alive when he drove into them?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Christopher¡¯s brows crease. ¡°How else would we have gotten the ident to look so good?¡±


    ¡°The brakes were cut,¡± Jakub points out.


    ¡°We needed to make sure he didn¡¯t puss outst minute,¡± James answers. His fingers drum on his knee.


    ¡°And how did you convince this prick to do such a thing? Kill an innocent girl and her mom?¡± I ask, sensing the dark clouds on the horizon.


    Christopher moves in his chair again, tugs on his tie. ¡°That¡¯s it, Dominik.¡± He leans closer. ¡°That wasn¡¯t the job. The job was to hit the car. There was only supposed to be one driver. We were never told who the driver was.¡±


    My chest twists.


    ¡°Walk me through this. What was supposed to happen?¡± Jakub picks up the conversation while I¡¯m letting this information seep into my mind.


    ¡°That morning we got a call with where the target would be. We got our guy out there and he waited until he saw it. He followed the car until he could find a spot where he could get ahead of it and make a turn, so he¡¯d being at the side.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you get him to do it, he had to know he could die?¡± Jakub asks, but I think it¡¯s more from curiosity than anything.


    ¡°He was dead one way or another, he was saving his family,¡± James says. I look back at my wife; she¡¯s waving down the bartender for a second drink. The colored lights from the DJ wave over the dance floor, blues and pinks run over her skin here she sits.


    ¡°Who gave the order?¡± I tear my attention away from Kasia.


    Christopher¡¯s jaw clenches.


    ¡°Give me the name.¡±


    ¡°We had no idea you were connected,¡± he reminds me.


    ¡°The name,¡± I say with more force.


    ¡°Marcin Garska.¡±


    And with that, all sound around me stops.


    ¡°He never said it was his daughter. For fuck¡¯s sake, who does that?¡± James quickly says, leaning toward us.


    ¡°Marcin Garska ordered the killing of his own daughter?¡±


    ¡°And his wife?¡± Jakub adds.


    ¡°There was only supposed to be one person in the car. We got our guy at the ce Marcin told us at the time he said. This wasn¡¯t our fault.¡± Christopher¡¯s hand is fisted.


    ¡°Tell your father I¡¯m grateful for the information. He didn¡¯t have toe forward with it, I appreciate the honesty,¡± I say to the brothers. ¡°There will be no retribution,¡± I assure them and they both sink back into their chairs. The Kominski family holds no power. Petty theft rings mostly. They¡¯re good for hiring out a dirty job, like Marcin did.


    ¡°We heard you married the other Garska girl, is that right?¡± Christopher pushes his luck.


    ¡°I did.¡± I stand, ending the meeting. ¡°And I need to get back to her. If I have other questions, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be able to get hold of you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, of course. No problem, Dominik.¡± He holds out his hand, and I shake it. There¡¯s no bad blood here.


    But there will be bloodshed by the time this is through.


    Marcin Garska dug his own grave, and it will soon be time toy him in it.

 20

    Kasia


    Dominik¡¯s quiet on the drive home from the club, so I¡¯ve left him to his thoughts. Whatever his meeting was about has left him in a dark mood.


    He pulls his phone out and grumbles while he¡¯s firing off text messages.


    ¡°Has something happened?¡± I ask as the SUV parks in front of the house. It¡¯ste, and I¡¯m tired. Dominik didn¡¯t keep me at the club for much longer after his meeting. His mood had soured, I think.


    The driver gets out of the car once we¡¯re parked.


    ¡°Nothing new,¡± he says, but I sense there¡¯s more. He¡¯s not telling me everything.


    I don¡¯t push. It¡¯s been a good night. I don¡¯t want to ruin it with anger. There¡¯s been so much of that over the years in my life, I don¡¯t want to carry any more of it into my future. I won¡¯t delude myself with the idea that I¡¯ll have a happy, love-filled marriage, but we don¡¯t have to be enemies.


    It¡¯s that idea I¡¯m grasping onto. I just don¡¯t want to be hated anymore.


    Dominik climbs out of the car and grabs my hand, tugging me out with him.


    I watch him as we walk up the stairs to the house. His jaw is tense, his back is locked up. There¡¯s more tension than when we left home earlier.


    Home. That¡¯s what this ce is for me now. My home.


    As soon as we¡¯re inside the house, the door¡¯s closed and locked, he turns on me, walking me into the front door and caging me in with his arms. I can smell the brandy on his breath, and it intoxicates me.


    ¡°We should go upstairs,¡± he says, kissing me hard, like he¡¯s been waiting all night to do this. To get his mouth on mine. I bring my hands up to his hips, holding him to me. I¡¯ve been waiting all night, too.


    ¡°It¡¯s not safe here? I thought you said your men know not to watch what¡¯s not their business?¡± I tease, hoping to bring some light to his dark.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re safe here.¡± He captures my face in both hands. ¡°You¡¯re safe with me, Kasia.¡±


    The weight of his words pins me in ce.


    He kisses my forehead, then grabs my hand again. ¡°Upstairs, wife.¡± He emphasizes thest word.


    I see a flicker of a shadow in the kitchen. Margaret¡¯s still here, and I don¡¯t want to put her in a position where she sees or hears something ufortable, so I follow him upstairs without any further teasing.


    Once we¡¯re in his bedroom, though, I untangle my hand from his and step away, flicking my hair over my shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty tired, Dominik.¡± I fake a yawn. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll just head to bed.¡±


    His eyes nail my feet to the floor. With purposeful, slow steps he stalks toward me. A lion to his prey. My heart beats out a loud melody against my chest and my mouth dries.


    When he reaches me, he grabs the small handbag from my hand and tosses it to the dresser. With both hands he grabs my shoulders and spins me around. I can see his face in the mirror, his lips are pressed into a thin line, his eyes set firmly on me.


    He picks up my hair and pushes it over my shoulders, exposing my back to him. The zipper of my dress lowers, while his gaze rises to meet mine in the mirror. The little straps of the dress sag down my shoulders. With a featherlike touch, he skims his fingers over my shoulders, pushing the straps downpletely. The dress, a simple, ck, deep-cut dress, falls to my feet.


    I stand in front of him in only my ck strapless bra and panties. He licks his lips.


    With a flick of his fingers on my bra, the clips are unfastened, and it falls away from my body. I move to catch it, to hold it to me, but he grabs my arms, pinning them to my side.


    ¡°Are you trying to deny me, Kasia?¡± His voice is heavy, raw.


    I catch his gaze in the mirror again and a shiver runs along my spine. His fierce expression should spread terror through me, instead of making my panties so damn wet for him.


    ¡°If I am?¡± I can¡¯t help but tease him again. This is a game we¡¯re ying, and no matter who loses, we¡¯ll both win.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    His lips crack into a wide grin and he steps closer to me, until his hard cock is pressed against my ass cheeks. ¡°What do you think will happen?¡± he asks, wrapping an arm around me and cupping my breast. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re allowed to deny me?¡± Two fingers close around my nipple and pinch, bringing with it a glorious burn.


    I shake my head.


    ¡°No?¡± He twists my nipple and pulls forward. The intensity makes me gasp, but I don¡¯t try to pull away.


    ¡°No,¡± I finally manage to say.


    He lets go and kisses the side of my cheek. ¡°Good girl. Let¡¯s try another question.¡± His hand roams to my other breast. ¡°What happens when you¡¯re a bad girl, Kasia?¡±


    His fingers close tight, he pulls right away giving me no chance to grow ustomed to the sensation. I lean forward a bit, trying to lessen the pressure, but he¡¯s pressed to me so hard, I have nowhere to go.


    ¡°What happens to bad girls, Kasia?¡± he asks again, scraping his teeth along my shoulder.


    ¡°You punish them,¡± I say while sucking in a breath.


    ¡°How do I punish you?¡± He gets more specific, lessening his grip.


    I drag my gaze back to the mirror and find him staring at me. That same dangerous look in his eyes.


    ¡°You deny me pleasure.¡± I answer him firmly. I won¡¯t lose this game. If he¡¯s looking for a reason to punish me, he won¡¯t find one. I¡¯ll take what he dishes out, but I will not be denied.


    ¡°No, Kasia. I deny you release. I¡¯ll give you all the pleasure you want.¡± He spreads his fingers out on my stomach, pushing me against him more. ¡°But you were a good girl tonight, Kasia.¡± He moves from my stomach, reaching into the pocket of his pants.


    I tense at the sight of a pocketknife in his hands.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he kisses my cheek. ¡°You¡¯re safe here, remember. You¡¯re safe with me.¡± He kisses me again, a tender gesture as he slides the de between my hip and the thin strap of my panties. With one arm now draped over my chest, pinning me to him, he swipes the knife, easily cutting the strap then moving to my other hip. Again, he cuts the fabric then tosses the knife onto the dresser.


    ¡°Such a pretty girl,¡± he whispers into my ear, pulling the remnants of my panties from between my legs and dropping them to the ground.


    The darkness in him reaches his eyes, I can sense it with his touch. He needs this, he needs to have this control, to have me bend to his will. What surprises me is how much I crave it too. I want to calm his storm, and I want to lose myself in it at the same time.


    I reach over my shoulder and cup his cheek. At first, he stiffens, but then softens, leaning into my hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m safe here.¡± I stare at him in the mirror. The heat I see, the hunger screaming at me in his reflection kicks my heart into a gallop. I swallow back a little gasp when he cups my breast again.


    ¡°You¡¯re stronger than you think, my Kasia.¡± He lowers his mouth to my neck, scraping his teeth over my skin again. A shot of electricity jolts me, and I feel alive. More alive than I have in a long time.


    It¡¯s not just that he says these things, it¡¯s that I believe him. It¡¯s that I know he believes them.


    He grabs hold of my arm and spins me to face him. ¡°I¡¯m going to show you what a brave girl you really are.¡± He walks me backward until my ass hits the dresser. ¡°Down, my Kasia. Kneel for me.¡± He presses lightly on my shoulders and I sink to the floor for him. Kneeling at his feet, looking up at him, wondering what he wants from me next. Because I want to give it to him. I want to make this good for him. To make him forget his stress.


    He runs his thumb over my bottom lip. ¡°Such a pretty mouth. I wonder how pretty you¡¯ll be with my cock stuffed inside it.¡± His other hand works his belt open and he tugs his pants down until his cock is freed.


    I try to move back, but I have nowhere to go. Still holding my head, he presses me against the dresser. I¡¯m trapped.


    ¡°Open for me, Kasia.¡± He fists his cock with one hand, bringing the tip to my lips. There¡¯s a pearl of moisture that is too tempting not to lick away.


    He hisses as though I¡¯ve hurt him with my tongue on his dick.


    ¡°Open.¡± This order is rougher, his fingers tighten in my hair.


    I bring my hand up, ready to wrap it around his shaft, but he brushes it away.


    ¡°No. Put your hands on your knees. I want just your mouth, Kasia. I¡¯m going to fuck it and fuck it hard. If you do a good job, I¡¯ll stuff my cock in your pussy next. It¡¯s wet for me, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯re waiting for me to fuck you hard?¡± He switches between Polish and English as he talks, but I manage to keep up well enough to understand him.


    I open my mouth and steel myself for whatever he¡¯s going to do to me. This is his moment. He may hurt me, but he won¡¯t harm me.


    He doesn¡¯t need to tell me that or exin it. It¡¯s just there, written in his eyes.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± A buzzing sounds and he pulls his phone out of the pocket of his pants, throwing it onto the bed without looking at it.


    There¡¯s no warning. He plows into my mouth, the tip of his cock hitting the back of my throat. I swallow, sputter, trying to catch my breath, but my husband isn¡¯t gentle. He never promised he would be.


    I press my fingernails into my thighs, taking the face fucking he¡¯s dishing out. Again, he pushes down my throat and I swallow, but it doesn¡¯t help. I gag. He pulls out enough for me to get my breath, but that¡¯s it. The moment I¡¯m better, he shoves himself down me again.


    ¡°Mouth stuffed with my cock,¡± he mutters above me, thrusting again. ¡°So¡­ fuck¡­¡± his words trail off into a groan.

 21

    In the next moment, his dick is yanked from me and he hauls me to my feet. Have I done something wrong?


    ¡°Did I hurt you?¡± I ask when I see the darkness of his expression.


    The stern set of his jaw softens, and heughs.


    ¡°Hurt me? Woman, you¡¯re going to kill me if we keep that up.¡± He steps back and quickly undresses, tossing his clothing to the floor. Once he¡¯s stripped and bare, I stare at him openly.


    There¡¯s a scar on his abdomen, and I touch it lightly. He grabs my wrist, bringing it up to his mouth and kissing it.


    ¡°You were hurt,¡± I say stupidly.


    ¡°I healed.¡± There¡¯s more to his words, I think. A statement directed at me, but I don¡¯t understand it.


    Keeping my wrist in his hand, he brings me to the bed ¨C his side. He opens the bedside drawer and brings out a pair of handcuffs.


    ¡°So you don¡¯t get in my way.¡± He works them around one wrist, then spins me around to cuff the other behind my back. My shoulders pull at the position, but it¡¯s not enough to stop him. I doubt he¡¯d listen anyway.


    I press my ass back at him. There¡¯s no exnation for it, but I want his touch. Hard or soft, I just want it on me.


    He¡¯s quick to react, throwing me over the side of the bed. Over and over again he smacks my ass with his open palm.


    ¡°What did I do?¡± I ask, unsure if I¡¯m supposed to be enjoying his manhandling as much as I am.


    ¡°Nothing, my Kasia. You¡¯ve earned a reward,¡± he says, and increases the force of his spanks. He spreads them out over both cheeks and then my thighs. Quickly, my mind begins to fall into haze, a sweet hum covers my flesh.


    But he¡¯s not done with me.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    I clench and cry out with the sharpness of his nails digging into my tender flesh. He drags his hand up one thigh and then the other. My mind is focused again, but there¡¯s a calm in my soul that wasn¡¯t there moments ago.


    ¡°There¡¯s my girl,¡± he says and moves behind me. ¡°Ass up, I¡¯m going to fuck you now.¡± He pulls my hips upward to where he wants them. My face stays rooted into the bed, but I manage to get my feet nted.


    In one savage thrust, he¡¯s inside me. His balls hit my pussy. There¡¯s no reprieve for me. He drags out only to m back into me. My face rubs against the quilt covering the mattress.


    ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re so tight.¡± He sounds like an animal gone mad. I¡¯ve done that to him, I¡¯ve brought him to such high arousal. I arch my back and lift my ass higher for him.


    He uses one hand to grip my hip while the other moves to my cuffed wrists. He¡¯s riding me. My mind conjures up the image of how he looks riding me like the wild animal he is.


    ¡°Dominik!¡± I cry out. I need more, harder, faster, just more of everything. It¡¯s like I¡¯m chasing down a ghost and I need Dominik to help me find it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sweet Kasia.¡± He wraps his hand beneath me, quickly finding my clit.


    ¡°Oh fuck!¡± I yell and spread my thighs a bit more so he can have more ess.


    ¡°Go on, Kasia. Show me how hard you cane while I¡¯m riding you. Go on,¡± he rubs my clit faster, presses harder while he keeps plowing his cock into me.


    My shoulders burn, but the pain only melds into the throbbing of my ass, the ache inside of me.


    Out of nowhere, a sh happens and screaming. SO much screaming. It takes a second for me to realize it¡¯s me. My body shakes, and I¡¯m still crying out as the powerful waves wash me away.


    Dominik chuckles behind me, rubbing my clit slower. He¡¯s easing me down from heaven, and only when I¡¯vended softly does he go back to fucking me hard.


    ¡°So good,¡± he says, tugging on my wrists and fucking me so hard the bed scratches the floor when it moves.


    A smack to my ass, another grunt, a hard thrust and then he roars. His cock stills inside of me, but I feel every pulse of his release.


    Dominik is heavy when he falls forward over my body. He releases my wrists, but his chest is pressed against my back. His hot breath washes over my cheek. I keep silent, letting him find his way back to me in his own time.


    He presses a warm kiss to my cheek.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± he says in Polish and slowly slips from my pussy. He undoes the cuffs and tosses them away. When he stands me up, he rubs my arms. They burn, but it¡¯s nothingpared to the pleasure I see in his features. He has a crocked smile on his lips.


    ¡°A towel?¡± I ask quietly, tearing my gaze from his. I have to be careful. We¡¯re good at this, at fucking, but it¡¯s the in-between times when I need to be cautious.


    ¡°No.¡± He brushes my hair from my face. ¡°We¡¯re married. My seed stays right where I put it.¡± He pulls the quilt back from the bed and motions for me to get inside.


    I climb inside the bed, tugging the quilt to cover myself once I¡¯m on my side of the bed. He goes about the room, grabbing his discarded clothing and my dress before bringing them to the closet. I snuggle into the bedding.


    My eyelids are heavy and there¡¯s a weakness to my muscles after such an intense release.


    He walks to my side of the bed wearing a pair of pajama pants. They hang low on his hips, showing off his sharp cut muscles.


    Dominik sits next to me, caressing my cheek.


    ¡°I have to do a few things. Go to sleep, I¡¯ll be up in a bit.¡± And then he kisses me. Not the possessive way he has before, but with tenderness. It¡¯s not a kiss that forces me to realize he¡¯s in charge, that he owns me. No. This kiss gives me an entirely different feeling. A warmth spreads across my chest.


    ¡°Sleep,¡± he says again and flicks off the light on my nightstand. I pull the covers up to my chin as he walks out of the room. He turns off the main light and closes the door quietly.


    We don¡¯t have to be enemies, I remind myself. But I can¡¯t help but wonder if I¡¯m betraying my family. Because it¡¯s not a matter of hating him now¡­ I¡¯m starting to like him.

 22

    Dominik


    I sit back in my office chair, staring at the ceiling. I¡¯ve gone over the information five times, and it never changes. Marcin Garska wanted his daughter dead. He put a hit on his own daughter. But he killed the wrong one, and he¡¯s punished Kasia for it ever since.


    My phone dances on my desk, and I grab it.


    ¡°Dominik.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Dad. It¡¯s me.¡± I tap my fingertips on my desk. Kasia is upstairs asleep. I shouldn¡¯t have left her. I should have climbed into bed with her like I wanted to and wrapped myself around her. But I have to get this shit done.


    ¡°I just got out of the meeting.¡±


    I sent him the information I received from the Kominski brothers while we were driving home from the club. I didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d act on the information so quickly.


    ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± I roll my head to the side. There¡¯s tension in my neck.


    ¡°Exactly like we hoped. Garska is going to lose his territory. I need you to go to the attorney tomorrow. He thinks he can get the case tossed out, but he needs your help.¡± Code for cash. The attorney has finally figured out which wheel needs the oil. ¡°As soon as I get home, we¡¯ll take care of Garska. We have full authority over the matter.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± I say, but there¡¯s still a dark cloud hanging over my head. Take care of Garska means only one thing, and after the way he¡¯s treated Kasia I should be d. But I don¡¯t want her hurting, and as fucked up as it is, this will hurt her.


    ¡°His daughter. You still have her?¡±


    ¡°Kasia? Yes, she¡¯s here.¡± Where the hell else would my wife be?


    ¡°She¡¯ll be the one to inherit once he¡¯s taken care of. I had to make thatpromise. Instead of everything rolling over to us like the original agreement states, it will go to her. Seeing as you¡¯re married to her now, the council thinks it¡¯s fair enough. We¡¯ll need to figure out what to do with her.¡±


    My stomach twists. ¡°She¡¯s my wife. There¡¯s nothing to decide. Her inheritance goes to me.¡±


    There¡¯s a beat of silence. My father is still the head of our family. I have never nor will I ever dispute that, but when ites to Kasia, she¡¯s all my responsibility.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. We¡¯ll work out the details. As soon as the attorney gives the okay, we¡¯ll be on a ne home. And it could not be too soon. Your sister is driving me up a fucking wall here.¡±


    Iugh. ¡°Not enjoying her time there?¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°The girl has snuck out so many times, our men are threatening to seal her bedroom door closed.¡± He talks about her like it¡¯s annoying, but I know he¡¯s proud of how strong his daughter is. She¡¯s not one to follow the line just because it¡¯s where she¡¯s supposed to be.


    ¡°She¡¯ll settle down eventually.¡± I doubt it will be any time soon, but she¡¯s his prize and I won¡¯t remind him that it¡¯s his own doing that she¡¯s so pigheaded. The girl needs a good taming.


    ¡°From your lips to God¡¯s ear, Dominik.¡± Heughs. ¡°How about your brother? I left him a voicemail, but he hasn¡¯t called me back.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s working his magic with the Katfish Klub. He¡¯s doing good work.¡± I should probably call him or stop by his ce soon. I¡¯ve spent too much time away dealing with dad¡¯s legal shit and now Kasia.


    ¡°What a fucking name. You gonna change it?¡±


    I grin into the receiver. ¡°He¡¯s working on it. I¡¯m giving him full responsibility with the club. He¡¯s good at it.¡± It also keeps his hands as clean as I can keep them, but I don¡¯t say that to my father. I¡¯m the oldest. I¡¯ll take the risks for all of us.


    I catch a glimpse of a shadow passing my office door. A light goes on down the hall, in the kitchen.


    ¡°This is good, son. You¡¯ve done good.¡±


    Pride blossoms in my chest. My father¡¯s never been one toy on thepliments, but he¡¯s always given credit when it¡¯s due.


    A cab opens and closes in the kitchen. With the dead quiet of night, I can hear almost everything happening in there.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I check the time. Three in the morning; she should be asleep. ¡°Is there anything else you need from me?¡±


    ¡°Just handle the attorney and call me when it¡¯s all set. I¡¯m eager to get home and get this mess dealt with.¡±


    Iugh. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be enjoying yourself over there. You¡¯re always saying you want to spend more time there.¡±


    He grunts. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough fun.¡± What he means is he¡¯s had enough of not being in full control. Over there, he has to answer directly to the council. Here in Chicago, he has more freedom. Soon we won¡¯t have to answer to the council at all, but it takes time for such freedom.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you when I get the all clear. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be long.¡±


    ¡°Good. Good.¡±


    A female voice beckons him on the other side of the line, and he makes an excuse to hang up. I put my phone on my desk and follow the soft beepinging from the kitchen.


    Kasia stands in front of the microwave, staring through the door at the small te rotating inside.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be sleeping?¡± I ask in a low voice.


    She jumps and spins around, her hand to her chest. ¡°Shit. You scared me.¡± She turns back to the microwave and hits the end button. Whatever she¡¯s reheating, it¡¯s only been in there for a few seconds.


    ¡°What are you doing up?¡± I walk around the kitchen ind to her. She opens the microwave door and pokes her finger inside. Looking over her shoulder, I see what she has, and a smile tugs at my lips.


    ¡°I woke up and couldn¡¯t fall back asleep. I was hungry,¡± she says and pulls the te of blueberry pierogi from the microwave.


    ¡°Are those warm enough?¡± I ask as she shimmies past me to sit on a stool on the other side of the ind.


    ¡°These are best room temperature, but Margaret put them in the fridge.¡±


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t sure you¡¯d have them today. I told her to put them away.¡± I grab the sour cream from the fridge and the sugar bowl from the coffee nook.


    ¡°You asked her to make these?¡±


    ¡°She was making potato and cheese pierogi for tomorrow and I said you¡¯d probably like some blueberry ones.¡± I shrug like it¡¯s not a big deal. And it shouldn¡¯t be. A housekeeper making something for her to enjoy isn¡¯t a big deal. But the way her eyes light up tells me this is much bigger to her than I could have thought.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she says as she opens the sour cream. ¡°It¡¯s best like this, right?¡± She smiles as she scoops a spoonful of sour cream onto her te and then sprinkles sugar on top to mix.


    ¡°It is.¡± I lean my forearms on the ind across from her. I want to give her space; she seems so carefree at the moment. If I could capture it in a bottle, I would. She¡¯s so rxed. So sweet looking.


    ¡°My grandmother used to make these for me when I was younger. When she lived with us.¡± She uses the side of her fork to cut into the pierogi, and blueberry juice spills out. Sweeping it through the sugary cream, she brings it to her mouth.


    As soon as her lips close around the treat, her eyes roll, and she moans. ¡°I¡¯d forgotten how good these are,¡± she says. My cock doesn¡¯t understand she¡¯s talking about her dessert. I¡¯m getting hard watching my wife eat something as simple as a blueberry pierogi.


    ¡°Your grandmother made them often?¡± I¡¯m enjoying her smile too much, I think. It¡¯s the middle of the night. She¡¯s swept her hair into a messy ponytail, and she¡¯s wearing a cotton t-shirt and shorts. She couldn¡¯t look more innocent and at home. I could eat her alive right where she sits.


    ¡°They were a treat.¡± She takes another bite.


    ¡°Treat for what?¡± I ask grabbing the container from the fridge. She¡¯s almost done with what she¡¯s heated up, and she¡¯s going to want more.


    I want to see her eat more.


    ¡°For when Dad was in a mood.¡±


    I turn away from the microwave and look at her. ¡°What does that mean?¡±

 23

    She tilts her head. ¡°I know you already know. My father wasn¡¯t exactly my biggest fan. Sometimes he was cold. My grandmother tried to make up for it.¡±


    The microwave beeps and I take out the te, bringing it to her. She takes the extra pierogi with a smile.


    ¡°With blueberry pierogi?¡± I ask with a grin as she wipes a small bead of blueberry juice from her chin.


    ¡°It would be our time. Sometimes Dad would take Diana out on a trip or something and she¡¯d make something special just for us two.¡±


    ¡°Because he left you at home?¡± There¡¯s an angry knot forming in my stomach.


    She sighs. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about my father anymore.¡± She pops another bite into her mouth. ¡°So, what did you find out about the car ident? I know you found something out, I could see it in your face when you came down from that meeting.¡±


    I raise my eyebrow. ¡°Really. You know it¡¯s about that and not something else?¡± I tease. Fuck. When did I start being so damn yful?


    I move around the ind until I¡¯m next to her. Picking up thest bite from her te, I swipe it through the cream then bring it to her lips.


    ¡°It¡¯ste, Mrs. Staszek. Eat your snack.¡± I push it into her mouth with our eyes locked in a heated exchange. She licks her lips and smiles. ¡°Now I can have mine.¡± Before she can anticipate my movements, I pluck her from the stool and put her on the ind, sweeping her te out of the way.


    ¡°Dominik!¡± She tries to sit up, but I point a steady finger at her.


    ¡°You had your dessert, now I¡¯m having mine. Lay there and be a good girl for me.¡±


    She tucks her lower lip between her teeth and moves gently back down. Her shorts are easy to tug off, so I pull them past her feet and toss them onto the stool. I grab her ankles and pull her closer to the edge for me until her ass touches the edge.


    ¡°Open these pretty thighs for me, sweet girl.¡± I push her knees down until her pussy is on disy for me.


    ¡°Dominik. What if someonees in?¡± She inches her hand down toward her pussy, but I grab hold of her wrist.


    ¡°Try to block me again, Kasia, and I¡¯ll spank this pussy until it¡¯s red. Understand?¡±


    It¡¯s dim in the kitchen, but I can still see her cheeks blush.


    ¡°But someone might see,¡± she says again, not heeding my warning.


    I pull one leg up high and to the side then bring my hand down hard on her pussy. She jumps.


    ¡°Bad girl,¡± I chide her and bring my hand down again and once more before I bring my gaze from her wet, wanting pussy to her face. She¡¯s biting down hard on her lip; her pupils have widened so much I can¡¯t see any more of her brown irises.


    ¡°Are you going to be a good girl, Kasia?¡± I ask, raising my hand again. I¡¯ll deliver another swat if I need to, but she¡¯s gotten the idea, I think. My girl loves pain, but she wants my mouth on her pussy right now. I can see it, feel iting off her in waves.


    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a very good girl.¡± I put her leg back down and take my ce between her thighs. ¡°Keep your hands away.¡±


    I bring my mouth over her pussy, sucking in her clit before she has time to register my intent.


    She draws in her breath, but I¡¯m more concerned with feeding the beast inside of me. The one that wants to hurt and soothe her. I scrape my teeth over her clit, then suck it lightly until she whimpers.


    ¡°Your pussy is smooth. I like this,¡± I say, kissing her just above her clit.


    She¡¯s grabbing the sides of the ind, better to keep her hands away, I suppose.


    ¡°Fuck, you taste good.¡± With two fingers, I spread her pussy lips open and run my tongue up from her entrance to her clit, then take it in my mouth. The sounds the woman makes drive me to the brink. My cock is hard, but this isn¡¯t about me. This is about giving her pleasure for the point of pleasure. The woman has spent her entire life waiting her turn. She¡¯s in the front of the line tonight.


    I slide two fingers into her tight passage, twisting them as I fuck her with them.


    Running my tongue through her folds, I find her clit again, flicking it harder and harder before circling it and scraping my teeth over the sensitive bud. I continue to swirl around it, listening to herbored breathing, her moans of pleasure.


    ¡°Be a good girl for me ande hard. I want to hear you,¡± Imand, not taking my fingers away from her cunt for a moment. I bend my fingers, plow harder.


    ¡°Someone might hear,¡± sheins softly.


    ¡°Let them. Let them hear me make my wifee so fucking hard the roof shakes.¡± I want to growl, the need to hear here unraveled is so great.


    Her thighs start to tremble, I can feel her winding up tight. She¡¯s going to unleash any second. I turn my hand so my fingers are diving deeper into her passage and press downward as I fuck her with them.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good girl,¡± I say, licking her from opening to clit. ¡°Good girl. Such a good girl. Come for me, make it hard, be good. So, fucking good.¡± I add a third finger and twist harder, fuck her harder with my fingers and flick my tongue harder on her clit. Around and around until I feel the tremors starting.


    ¡°I saide!¡± I growl then suck her clit into my mouth, flicking the very tip with my tongue while plowing my fingers into her with more force.


    ¡°Dominik! Dominik!¡± She screams my name over and over again while her body unravels in my hands. Her asses off the countertop and she bucks up against my mouth, fucking my face, riding my mouth until she finds the very end of her release.


    I slow my fingers, ease off on her clit and press one more kiss to her sex before slipping from her. There¡¯s a small puddle beneath her ass on the counter. Her pussy juices and my saliva mixed together.


    When I stand to my full height, she¡¯s staring up at me, her eyes wide and her cheeks red.


    I pick up her pajama shorts, but she grabs my hand.


    ¡°Dominik.¡± She says my name with hunger.


    I look down at her. ¡°Do you want something?¡± I say, and I hope to hell she does. I won¡¯t push her; this was for her.


    ¡°You.¡± She reaches down between her legs and pulls on my own pants.


    ¡°You want what from me?¡± I ask. I¡¯m going to make her say it. I¡¯m going to make her beg for it, if it¡¯s what she really wants.


    ¡°I want you to fuck me.¡± She doesn¡¯t hesitate. Gone is any hesitation. ¡°Fuck me hard.¡±


    I drop her pajama shorts and grab her legs, yanking her toward me. I have to move up to my toes, but it¡¯s not a problem. With one tug, my pants are down, and my cock is at her entrance. In another moment, I thrust inside her cunt.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I groan as her cunt wraps tightly around me. She¡¯s hot and slick and so fucking snug.


    ¡°Harder,¡± she begs me. ¡°Please, harder.¡± She has her hands in her hair, tugging. My girl wants it to hurt.


    I can do that.


    I hold nothing back. I plow into her with everything I have. The sounds of our bodies pping against each other fill the room. Her ankles rest on my shoulders, and I slide my hands up her shirt, pinching her nipples.


    She moans with the bite. It¡¯s the sweetest fucking sound I¡¯ve ever heard.


    ¡°Are you going toe again for me?¡± I ask, plowing into her so hard my balls bounce off her ass.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she cries out.


    ¡°First. Kasia. Tell me. Who owns you? Who owns this body? And you. Who do you belong to?¡±


    No hesitation.


    ¡°You, sir! You, Dominik!¡± She doesn¡¯t take a second longer. I pinch her nipples, twist them to the right and like a firecracker she goes off again. It¡¯s those words that rip thest shred of control I have from my grip and I¡¯m thrown into a whirlwind of pulses and shes. I thrust once, twice, and then I still as everything inside of me explodes.


    Electric shocks ride up my spine, up and down, while my cock unleashes inside her tight pussy.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I growl over her as thest of my release twitches my body. My muscles soften, and my breath starts toe easier. Her hand is on my chest, lightly stroking me.


    As gently as I can, I ease her legs from my shoulders. My cum leaks out between her folds when I pull out of her, adding to the mess we¡¯ve already made. I tug my pants up and reach around the ind for a towel hanging off the drawer.


    ¡°You¡¯re cleaning me?¡± she asks in a husky voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m wiping the counter. Margaret doesn¡¯t get paid enough to clean this up.¡± I smack her thigh. ¡°Come on, get up.¡± I help her from the countertop and hand her her own bottoms. She slides them up her thighs, covering her gorgeous curves.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Think you can sleep now?¡±


    She yawns. ¡°I suppose so.¡±


    ¡°Such a smart ass.¡± I finish cleaning off the countertop and toss the dirty towel into theundry room as we pass it.


    ¡°Better than a dumbass, I guess,¡± she jokes.


    She jogs ahead of me,ughing as she makes her way back up the stairs. The sound of her levity, the happiness I¡¯m seeing, it warms me.


    I have to be careful. Letting her get too close will make her dangerous. Will make her unsafe.


    But for the moment, just this moment, I¡¯m going to enjoy the sweet sound of my wife¡¯sugh as she leads me up to our bed.

 24

    Kasia


    I wake up again to an empty bed, rolling over to his side of the bed and pulling his pillow to me. It smells of him, all spice and leather. This is the third time in as many days that he¡¯s left before sunrise.


    I¡¯ve been his wife for two weeks. My father hasn¡¯t tried to contact me in any way. It¡¯s a good thing that he stays away. It means I don¡¯t have to be the one to ignore him. I don¡¯t have to be the bad daughter.


    But I can¡¯t help but wonder why he¡¯s disappeared. Maybe I finally ran out of purpose for him.


    My rm on my phone dings. Time to get out of bed and do something with myself. I¡¯ve been sending out resumes and applying for teaching jobs in the area. Most of the schools have already hired for the uing year, so the options are limited. I¡¯m still unsure how this will work since Dominik has a man following me everywhere I go, but I¡¯m hopeful.


    For the first time, I cradle hope like the fragile being it is. He¡¯s promised I can work. I can have some purpose besides simply being Mrs. Staszek, but I¡¯m not sure any school district will approve of me bringing an armed guard into the ssroom.


    When I grab my phone, there are several email notifications. Maybe I¡¯m getting an interview.


    Sitting up in bed, I swipe open the app and thumb through the garbage until I find a long-awaited message. My stomach trembles as my thumb hovers over the icon. Finally, the private detective has something for me.


    Dominik made me promise not to continue my digging into the ident, but this isn¡¯t continuing. This is simply reading a message. I don¡¯t have to act on it, and if it turns out to be something worth looking into, I¡¯ll let Dominik know.


    Kasia, I found a link you might find interesting. Too dangerous to put it in writing. Can you meet me today, two o¡¯clock usual ce?


    I stare at the message. I haven¡¯t heard from this guy in weeks. Dominik knows about him, so why isn¡¯t he going to Dominik? Why ask me to meet him?


    I stare at the empty side of the bed. He might not be home untilte. I can text him, but I know his answer. He¡¯ll tell me to leave it and he¡¯ll look into it.


    This isn¡¯t about his sister. This is my responsibility.


    I wait another minute before answering him. Hoping, I guess, that some sense will ease into my mind, but it doesn¡¯t. So, I promise him I¡¯ll be there.


    Just as I hit the send button, there¡¯s a knock on the bedroom door that startles me.


    ¡°Kasia, are you up?¡± It¡¯s Margaret.


    I blow out a breath. It¡¯s not like Dominik has me on video surveince or anything.


    ¡°Yeah. One sec.¡± I scoot out of bed and grab the robe next to the bed. It¡¯s a rare morning that I wake with my pajamas still on.


    After tying my robe¡¯s belt around my middle tight, I open the door. Margaret¡¯s there with arge smile.


    ¡°Just wanted to be sure you were up. You said you wanted to be up by eight.¡±


    ¡°I did. Thank you. I have an rm on my phone, you don¡¯t have to worry about me, Margaret.¡± She¡¯s kind and attentive. Much like my mother was.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°Well, I also made crepes for breakfast and I didn¡¯t want them to get too cold before you came down.¡± She shrugged.


    ¡°You spoil me.¡±


    ¡°You deserve to be spoiled,¡± she says with a serious tone. ¡°Mr. Staszek just called; he¡¯s going to be gone for the evening. He said he¡¯d call youter this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°I want to go out this afternoon. Are any of the guys around? I know Dominik won¡¯t like it if I go out alone.¡± It would make things easier if they were all with him or off doing jobs. But I have no luck in this department.


    ¡°Of course. Tommy is here today. I¡¯ll let him know you have ns.¡± She turns to go. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, crepes!¡± She waves as she walks away.


    Tommy will be with me all afternoon, but I can work with that.


    I think.


    * * *


    ¡°Are you ready to head home?¡± Tommy asks me as we head to the car after the fifth store I made him follow me around in. I haven¡¯t bought anything; I¡¯m not even looking for anything. Apparently, Tommy dislikes window shopping as much as I do. But there¡¯s a purpose this afternoon, so it¡¯s not so annoying to me.


    I check the time on my phone.


    ¡°Almost.¡± I look down the street. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty. Let¡¯s stop in there.¡± I point at the diner two storefronts down.


    ¡°There¡¯s a bottle of water in the car,¡± he reminds me.


    ¡°I want something to eat, too. C¡¯mon, Tommy. I¡¯ll buy you a BLT.¡± I slide my arm through his and tug on him.


    He looks down at me, annoyance dancing in his eyes.


    ¡°Fine. But not too long, all right? Traffic back home is gonna suck if we stay out here too much longer,¡± heins, but walks with me to the diner.


    When we enter the diner, there¡¯s plenty of open tables, but it¡¯s the one in the far corner booth that has my attention. Erik DeGrazio is already in our booth, sucking down a beer. He looks up when the door shuts behind us, and his face drops when he sees Tommy.


    Getting rid of him will be almost impossible.


    ¡°Think you need to use the washroom?¡± I¡¯m terrible at this.


    He looks at me like I¡¯ve grown a second head. ¡°No. I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s just get you something to eat.¡± He heads toward a booth in the other corner of the restaurant at the windows.


    I stand frozen staring at DeGrazio. Considering all the times I had to sneak around behind my father¡¯s back trying to get close to my sister when I was grounded from her, you¡¯d think I¡¯d be better at this.


    ¡°I have to go to the bathroom,¡± I blurt out. Tommy stops at the booth and turns to look at me. Two other people also look up from their food to see what lunatic just made such an announcement.


    ¡°Okay, then go.¡± Tommy gestures toward the back of the diner.


    ¡°Right,¡± I say and hurry away. Thanks to my utter failure at being casual, I can feel his stare on my back as I make my way to the restrooms. As I pass Mr. DeGrazio¡¯s table, I catch his eye and jerk my head toward the restrooms. His gaze darts away from me toward Tommy, and he stays nted.


    Once I get inside the two-stall restroom, I wait. Hopefully, Tommy lost interest when I was out of sight and is sitting at our booth.


    The door opens and Mr. DeGrazio peeks his head in.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asks in loud whisper.


    I grab hold of his arm and tug him inside.


    ¡°That¡¯s one of Dominik Staszek¡¯s guys out there.¡± He points to the door.


    ¡°I know.¡± I nod. ¡°Just be fast, and I¡¯ll get back out there before he gets all nosey. So, what did you find?¡±


    He frowns. ¡°I tried calling him, but he didn¡¯t answer my call.¡± He pulls out an envelope and shoves it at me. ¡°Here¡¯s what you need to know, do whatever you want to do with it. I¡¯m done. Like I told him, I¡¯m not looking into anything else. And I won¡¯t take any more money from you. But this-¡± He points to the envelope. ¡°Is worth what you¡¯ve paid so far.¡±


    ¡°Is this everything you already told Dominik?¡± I press before he has a chance to run off.


    ¡°There¡¯s more here than I remembered when I was talking him.¡± He shrugs. ¡°Helps to talk to a man when he¡¯s sober if you want all the information. But I¡¯m done, Kasia. No more.¡± He smacks his hands together, washing himself of me.


    ¡°I got it.¡± I look down at the thick envelope. ¡°Thank you.¡± My words are said to an empty room. He¡¯s gone.


    I straighten out the prongs of the envelope and open the top. Pictures, reports, and handwritten notes are haphazardly stuffed inside. I pull out the pictures, flipping through them quickly. ident scene pictures ¨C I¡¯ve seen most of these already. I skip the ones with my sister and mother still inside. The police reports don¡¯t have much information in them that I don¡¯t already have memorized.


    His notes though, these are what I want. I quickly read over the scribbles. His handwriting changes several times. I can tell exactly when he¡¯d been drinking and when he¡¯d been sober.


    ¡°Kasia!¡± Tommy knocks on the door. ¡°Kasia, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Just washing my hands!¡± I yell back and keep sweeping my eyes over the notes.


    By the time I¡¯m done reading, I¡¯m grateful for the toilet being so close. I run inside an empty stall and vomit. Even the bitter taste left behind once my stomach ispletely emptied is better than the sickness inside my soul.


    The door to the room bursts open.


    ¡°Kasia.¡± Tommy¡¯s behind me. ¡°Kasia,¡± he lowers his voice as I sink to the floor of the bathroom, the damning papers clutched to my chest. He squats next to me. ¡°We¡¯re going home.¡±


    I tighten my hold on the papers when he tries to take them away from me and he gives up.


    ¡°Can you walk or am I carrying you?¡± he asks, and I can tell he¡¯d rather not touch me. Carrying the boss¡¯s wife might not give him any positive points with Dominik.


    My mind nks, and I switch to autopilot. Standing up, I turn sideways and move around him out of the stall. The toilet flushes as I walk through the door back into the diner. A waitress stands at our table, pouring coffee into a cup.


    ¡°We¡¯re not staying,¡± Tommy says to her with a hard tone. I don¡¯t wait to hear her response; I walk out the front door, down the street to where Tommy parked the SUV.


    ¡°What happened, Kasia?¡± he asks as he straps me into my seat. I give a little shake of my head. I can¡¯t make my mouth work yet.


    My door ms, then he¡¯s in the car. Once we¡¯re on the road, he pulls out his phone and makes a call.


    If everything I read is right¡­ No, I can¡¯t think of it. My stomach swirls again, just thinking it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Just tell him to get home.¡± Tommy¡¯s yelling into his phone.


    I lean my head back against the seat.


    ¡°Then as soon as he can, dammit!¡± Tommy drops his phone into the middle console.


    ¡°Kasia.¡± He touches my arm. ¡°Are you sick? Do we need to go to the hospital?¡±


    He pulls onto the expressway, heading west. We¡¯re leaving the city for home.


    ¡°No. I just want home,¡± I say and close my eyes.

 25

    Dominik


    By the time I get home the sun¡¯s already down. It¡¯s a clear night sky, but the ck cloud hovering over my head as I run up the front steps of the house blocks it all out. Something¡¯s happened to Kasia. Tommy had no exnation that made any sense. All I know is he took her into her old neighborhood, and she ended up getting sick in a diner.


    ¡°Where is she?¡± I demand the moment Margaret appears. She¡¯s wringing her hands together and her lips are tight.


    ¡°Upstairs. She wouldn¡¯te down. She wouldn¡¯t let me in the room,¡± she says, her voice trailing behind me as I take the stairs two at a time.


    Both Tommy and James are pacing outside the guestroom door.


    ¡°Boss.¡± Tommy gets in front of me. ¡°I swear, she was fine when she went into the bathroom.¡±


    ¡°What happened, exactly?¡± I ask, resolving to keep my temper in check until I have a good reason to pound his face in. I¡¯ve been away from the house more than I¡¯d like, but she should have been safe. I pay these assholes to keep her safe.


    ¡°She wanted to get something to eat at this diner, so we went in. She went to the bathroom and I stayed at the booth. I kept an eye on the hallway where the bathrooms were, some guy went in and came back out a minuteter. Nothing unusual for a guy taking a piss-¡±


    ¡°Talk faster, Tommy.¡± My chest burns with the anger I¡¯m holding back.


    He nches. ¡°She didn¡¯te right out, so I checked on her. When I went in, I found her in the stall, puking and clutching a bunch of papers to herself.¡±


    My ears perk. ¡°Papers? What papers?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. She wouldn¡¯t let me see them. I got her out of there, to the car, then got hold of you. She¡¯s been in the room since we got back. Won¡¯t talk to anyone or let anyone in.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sure she¡¯s in there?¡± I ask sarcastically.


    His brow wrinkles. ¡°I watched her. She went to the bathroom. Was I supposed to go in there with her?¡± he asks, getting defensive.


    I set my jaw and stare him down until he takes a step back.


    Turning to the door, I knock gently at first. ¡°Kasia. It¡¯s me. Open the door,¡± I say, knocking louder when I¡¯m met with silence.


    ¡°Kasia. If you don¡¯t answer, I¡¯m busting down the door,¡± I warn, gesturing to Tommy to get the keys from downstairs.


    There¡¯s a soft click and then the door pops open an inch. I push through into the room and shut the door behind me. The men don¡¯t need to hear our conversation.


    When Kasia looks at me, rage fills me. Her eyes are swollen and red. The tip of her nose is tinged with pink. The woman has been up here sobbing herself sick.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I go to her, grabbing her shoulder, then checking her over. ¡°Are you hurt? Are you sick? Tommy said you were puking.¡± I brush the hair that¡¯s stuck to her cheeks away from her face. Wet tears still linger on her skin.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sick.¡± She pushes my hands away.


    ¡°What happened, Kasia. What¡¯s wrong,¡± I demand of her when she walks over to the bed and sits on the edge. Papers and photographs are strewn around the bed. When I get close, she leans over and wards me off with her hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything.¡± Her voice is low, angry.


    I drag my hand through my hair. This isn¡¯t disobedience or defiance. This is something else, something stronger. Something I don¡¯t think is in her control.


    ¡°Tell me, then. What the fuck happened in that diner?¡± I stand in front of her, close enough to grab her, but I fold my arms over my chest, so she understands I won¡¯t.


    ¡°What did you find out when you talked with DeGrazio?¡± she asks me instead of giving me any information.


    ¡°Don¡¯t change the topic. Answer me.¡± I need to know where her head is at.


    Sheughs, but it¡¯s joyless, empty. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Kasia.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you, Dominik.¡± She waves a hand through the air between us. It¡¯s a weak gesture. She¡¯s tired. ¡°I knew you were a monster. I should have remembered. That first night. You kidnapped that guy¡¯s wife. I should have remembered.¡± She taps her temple. ¡°But I forgot because you¡­ because you touch me and make me forget.¡± There¡¯s an usation there beneath her words.


    ¡°Kasia, you¡¯re making no sense.¡±


    I nce around the room. Aside from being angry, she¡¯s jumbling her words together. A bottle of brandy sits on her nightstand. No ss.


    Leaning closer to her I can smell it. She reeks of it.


    ¡°How much have you had to drink?¡± I ask, picking up the bottle. It¡¯s not empty, but I don¡¯t know if she took an opened bottle or a new one.


    ¡°Not enough.¡± Another sob breaks through her.


    I reach for one of the photographs, but she hits my hand. I give her a hard re, one that would have had her second thinking her actions yesterday, but she¡¯s brave now with the brandy. She holds my stare.


    ¡°You¡¯re drunk.¡±


    Sheughs. ¡°I wish.¡± She picks up the photograph I was reaching for and hands it to me. ¡°See this? That¡¯s my mom and my sister. They¡¯re dead.¡± She drops the photograph as soon as I hold my hand out for it. ¡°This one.¡± She pushes documents away and finds another one and shoves it at me. ¡°This one shows a train car. Do you see it?¡± She pushes it at me, so I take it.


    As soon as my eyes make contact with the photo my blood pumps harder. I can hear it in my ears.


    ¡°My father¡­ that¡¯s what he sells.¡± She flicks a finger over the photograph of women chained together being hauled into a train car. This isn¡¯t new information to me, but obviously it is for her.


    ¡°Kasia.¡±


    ¡°You knew though, right? I mean, you do business with him. That¡¯s what this marriage was about, settling some stupid territory argument?¡±


    ¡°Kasia, this isn¡¯t what I do.¡± It¡¯s important that she understands this. I¡¯m no fucking saint, but buying and selling women ¨C we don¡¯t do that.


    She lifts her eyes, her sad, tear-filled eyes to me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± The words are soft, but they hit me like a fucking freight train. ¡°My father ordered that ident. He meant it to be me. I was supposed to get hit. And I was supposed to be taken.¡± She picks up a crumbled piece of paper and shoves it at me.


    Before I open it to read it, she tells me everything she knows.


    ¡°I was supposed to be taken to one of those trains. He was going to sell me, Dominik. He hired thugs to kidnap me and sell me.¡± She sucks in a shaky breath and hugs herself around her middle.


    That¡¯s not what the Kominski brothers told me. I pore over the document, hand scribbled notes from DeGrazio¡¯s meetings. I can¡¯t read most of it, names are coded, but what she¡¯s telling me is right. The deal was to have her taken to the trains on the south side. She was supposed to be sold.


    ¡°I knew he didn¡¯t love me. He med me because mom couldn¡¯t have any more kids after me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a twin, Kasia,¡± I say stupidly. She¡¯s had more time to process all of this, I¡¯m trying to catch up with her.


    ¡°I was thest out.¡± She points to me. ¡°There was aplication with my birth. Diana was already born. Easy peasy, but me¡­ no. Something went wrong and although they saved my life, there was damage. Dad never got to have the son he wanted.¡± She wipes the back of her hands across her face. ¡°But sell me? Why? I was leaving for college in a year. I could have been gone from his life, why would¡­¡± she trails off, as though her brain just can¡¯t process the thought anymore.


    ¡°Where did you get all this?¡± I ask, gathering up everything from the bed. She¡¯s not paying me any attention anymore, so she doesn¡¯t get in my way.


    ¡°Degrazio.¡±


    ¡°You promised me no more digging on your own.¡± I stack the papers.


    ¡°Promised?¡± Sheughs. ¡°Fuck promises. Fuck everything. Nothing I did made that man like me. You know his favorite punishment was to keep Diana away from me? He didn¡¯t just take away my toys or ground me, he kept my sister away from me. He would take her out on vacations, day trips, dinners, whatever, while I was stuck at home. Alone.¡±


    I stare down at her. She¡¯s losing steam. The brandy is making her tired. She¡¯s run out of energy.


    ¡°When she died. It was my fault, I knew it, and he did too. He never let me forget it. But he didn¡¯t let me go. Why wouldn¡¯t he just let me leave if he hated me so much?¡± She lies down on the bed. ¡°He should have just killed me.¡±


    It¡¯s at that my chest breaks open.


    ¡°No.¡± I lean over her, brushing my fingertips over her jaw. ¡°No, Kasia. He shouldn¡¯t have. He should have been a good father. He should have been a good man.¡± He will pay for the evil he¡¯s done.


    She shoves away my hand and rolls away from me. ¡°Leave me alone, Dominik. Just leave me be.¡±


    I stare at her back. Her breathing is calm.


    ¡°Kasia.¡± I touch her shoulder.


    ¡°I wish I had been in that car instead of Diana. I wish I had been the one who died.¡±


    My jaw tightens, my heart aches. A world without Kasia? I can¡¯t imagine it. I won¡¯t imagine it.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°Sleep, Kasia.¡± I back away from the bed, taking everything DeGrazio gave her and grab her phone from the nightstand. I should move her to our room. She shouldn¡¯t be in this room anymore, but she¡¯s asleep now.


    I turn off all the lights and step outside, closing the door behind me. Tommy and James stare at me.


    ¡°That fucker that went to the bathroom. He didn¡¯t go to the men¡¯s room.¡± I point a finger at Tommy who has the smarts to avert his gaze. It¡¯s not his fault. Not really. There was no real danger in letting her go to the bathroom on her own. But my wife, my fucking world, is lying in that bed hurt because he didn¡¯t stop that fucker from giving her information she didn¡¯t need.


    ¡°Is she okay?¡± Tommy asks, guilt dripping from his tone.


    ¡°No.¡± I pinch the bridge of my nose. ¡°It¡¯s not¡­ he didn¡¯t hurt her. He¡¯s the private investigator I told never to contact her again. But he did. The Kominski brothers fucking lied to me.¡± I close my eyes for a brief moment.


    I¡¯d finally gotten good news from my father¡¯s attorney today. I was about to call him and arrange for him to return home, but that¡¯s not at the forefront of my mind now.


    ¡°I want a sit down with Kominski. Not his fucking sons. Him!¡± I bark. I point at James. ¡°You stay here. If she tries to leave, you call me. She can go to our bedroom or she stays in there. She goes nowhere else.¡±


    ¡°You got it, boss,¡± he says with a nod and stands right in front of the door.


    Tommy hurries ahead of me, already on the phone to get the old man ready for my visit. I¡¯m not waiting until morning. I want that fucker to tell me to my face what the fuck the deal actually was.

 26

    Kasia


    Not even the shower is helping my sore muscles and throbbing head. The brandy didn¡¯t help as much as I hoped it would. It only made things foggier. I don¡¯t remember everything from the night before. I do remember Dominiking into the room.


    I remember the anger in my heart and the concern on his face.


    It¡¯s too much to think about right now. I turn off the water and dry off, taking it slow. All the damn crying has made me tired still. My entire life, I¡¯d kept from crying like that because of my father. But after seeing what he had nned. What he had wanted to do to me, it¡¯s like a dam burst inside me that I couldn¡¯t stop.


    All of my clothes have been moved to Dominik¡¯s bedroom, so I put my sundress back on from yesterday. I¡¯m not up for seeing him yet. He must be so angry with me for meeting with Degrazio behind his back. Tommy called him home after he found me in the bathroom at the diner. I¡¯m proving to be more trouble than I¡¯m worth, I¡¯m sure.


    My phone¡¯s gone, as well as everything DeGrazio gave me. Dominik must have all of it.


    When I open the door, one of Dominik¡¯s men I haven¡¯t met yet greets me.


    ¡°Hello, Mrs. Staszek. Your husband has left orders for you to either stay in this room or go to your room.¡±


    I stare at him. He means Dominik¡¯s room.


    ¡°Am I not allowed food?¡± I ask, trying to hide my snark. It¡¯s my own fault this is happening. I¡¯ve stayed in my room, hiding away from everything all day long. Dominik is probably contemting how to deal with me, his errant, stupid, worth-nothing wife.


    ¡°You mean dinner? Of course. I¡¯ll ask Margaret to bring up something,¡± he says, pulling his phone out of his pocket. Apparently, I¡¯m not to be left alone even for the short time it would take for him to go downstairs.


    I touch his arm before he finishes dialing. ¡°No, that¡¯s okay. Thanks. I¡¯ll just go to Dominik¡¯s room.¡± I walk past him and go to the next room so I can change into clean clothes.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Thest of the afternoon sun shines through the window, making the pain in my head even sharper. I close the blinds and quickly change. I¡¯m not spending any more time locked away. I don¡¯t care what Dominik does to me, or what his men threaten. I¡¯m tired of being hidden and imprisoned.


    With fresh clothes on, I open the bedroom door. The same soldier stands there waiting for me to ask him to do something for me. I don¡¯t need him to do anything. I¡¯ll take care of myself.


    ¡°I need to use the car.¡± I step out of the room and into the hall.


    He squares off with me, his brows pulled together with worry. He¡¯s probably not sure what to do. Does he drag me back in the room, does he call for help? Seeing as he¡¯s unsure, I¡¯m positive Dominik¡¯s not in the house.


    Good.


    That makes things easier.


    ¡°Your husband said-¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I heard you the first time. It doesn¡¯t change that I need the car. You have two choices here. You can get out of my way so I can go, or you cane with me in case there¡¯s trouble.¡± I don¡¯t really want him with me, but I¡¯m also not stupid enough to think I¡¯ll get far without one of his men at least following me. Besides, maybe he¡¯lle in handy. He does have a gun after all.


    His gaze darts past me to the stairs. His options are limited, and I¡¯ve put him a tough spot.


    I don¡¯t care.


    Right now, I only care about getting what I want. It¡¯s worked for my father in the past, it works for Dominik every day. Demand what you want, and if it¡¯s not handed to you ¨C just fucking take it.


    ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± Defeat dances in his question.


    ¡°I¡¯m driving.¡± I turn on my heel and head to the stairs. He¡¯s right behind me, already starting to try and talk me out of it.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to call Dominik,¡± he says just as I reach the garage door. It gives me a moment of pause. I don¡¯t want him fucking this up for me.


    ¡°Fine. Once we¡¯re in the car and have cleared the gates, you can call him and tattle. But if you call him before that¡­¡± I shrug and pull the garage door open.


    ¡°Kasia? Is that you?¡± Margaret¡¯s voice trails down the hallway. Damn this house. Gorgeous, yes, but all the openness makes it damn near difficult to sneak away.


    I don¡¯t say a word to her. Instead I walk across the three-car garage and climb into the ck SUV. I don¡¯t have my purse or my wallet, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯m not driving without protection. If a cop pulls us over, soldier boy will have to get us out of trouble.


    He climbs in beside me, his phone already cradled in his hands.


    ¡°It¡¯s a push start,¡± he says, and drops the fob in the cupholder of the center console.


    Once the garage door opens, I pull out quickly and head to the gate.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I ask him as he taps on his screen. The gate closes behind us and I turn onto the main street that will take us right to the expressway.


    ¡°Michael,¡± he mutters and puts the phone to his ear.


    The expressway is clear while we¡¯re still in the suburbs, but the closer to the city we get I know I¡¯m going to run into traffic.


    ¡°Boss, she¡¯s out of the house. I¡¯m with her¡­ I don¡¯t know, she won¡¯t say¡­¡± He presses a button on the touch screen of the car and Dominik¡¯s voice booms through the car.


    ¡°Kasia, what the hell are you doing?¡± he demands.


    ¡°Taking care of some things,¡± I answer. His general answers have been good enough for him to give me, it¡¯s about time he was treated the same.


    ¡°Go back to the house. Michael is going to take you home.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I changenes and speed up, merging onto the highway. ¡°I¡¯ll be home sometime after dinner. Don¡¯t wait for me.¡± I nce at the console and hang up the call.


    I can feel Michael¡¯s panic roll off of him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯ll survive.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he mutters. ¡°It¡¯s me I¡¯m worried about.¡±


    I smile at that.


    It takes over an hour to get to my father¡¯s house. I¡¯m told he¡¯s out of town, but I¡¯m not really looking for him, so it won¡¯t matter.


    ¡°Jesus, why are we here?¡± he asks, as I pull up to the curb. My father¡¯s house isn¡¯t a gated estate like Dominik¡¯s. No armed guards walking the property.


    ¡°You can call your boss again if it will make you feel better. We aren¡¯t going to be long.¡± I grab the fob so he can¡¯t withhold it from me and hop down from the car.


    The front door is still controlled by a keypad, and thankfully my father never saw fit to change the code after he sold me to Dominik. The house is quiet. Dad¡¯s office is open.


    It¡¯s not as scary now that it¡¯s empty. Now that I¡¯m an adult who has finally grabbed the reins of my own life.


    ¡°Kasia, what are we doing here?¡± Michael asks in a hushed whisper. His hand is posed on the butt of his gun.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s gone.¡± I sit at Dad¡¯s desk and open the filing cab drawer. I thumb through the files until I find the one I¡¯m looking for.


    ¡°Dominik will be here soon,¡± he tells me, like an annoying big brother who¡¯s informed our father I¡¯m snooping.


    I get the address I need and stuff the file back into the drawer.


    ¡°Good for him.¡± I m the drawer and get up. I walk right past him and down the hall, not sparing a nce at the family pictures hanging on the wall. I¡¯m not in most of them and if I am, I¡¯m tucked off to the side.


    Fuck them.


    Fuck everything here.


    When I climb back into the SUV, Michael is right next to me.


    ¡°Tell me where we¡¯re going,¡± he demands. He could end this right now and grab me, but I know he won¡¯t. He¡¯s young and hasn¡¯t been around Dominik enough to know that stopping me by any means is probably safer for him than letting me do what I¡¯m about to do.


    ¡°Making things right,¡± I say and pull away from the house. He grabs onto the handle of the door. I¡¯ll admit my driving is a bit erratic, but there are lives at stake. I can¡¯t wait around for men to decide to stop being monsters.


    ¡°Kasia. Where are you headed?¡± Dominik¡¯s voicees through the car speakers again. Michael called him again, I suppose.


    ¡°The transports leave every Thursday night.¡± I remember from hearing my father talking about them. I assumed he was moving stolen cars or merchandise, not people. I never thought he could be so cruel. I was an idiot.


    ¡°Kasia. Pull the car over. I¡¯ll be there within ten minutes,¡± he orders.


    ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Kasia, do what I¡¯m telling you right now.¡± There¡¯s worryced in his demand.


    ¡°Do you want to threaten me with a spanking, Dominik?¡± I switchnes, heading south.


    ¡°Kasia. I swear to you, it will so much worse than that if you don¡¯t do as I tell you, right now.¡±


    He¡¯s bluffing. Maybe he¡¯s not. I don¡¯t really care anymore.


    ¡°Bye, Dominik.¡± I hang up again and find the button that disconnects the bluetooth. ¡°Call him again, Michael, and you¡¯ll be walking home,¡± I say in Polish to be sure he gets my meaning clearly, and head for the next exit.


    The sun is gone now, night has settled around us. This isn¡¯t exactly the best part of Chicago, so it would be best if Michael, and his gun, stayed with me.

 27

    Kasia


    There isn¡¯t exactly a directory posted at the train yard, but I remember this ce. My father took Diana and I here when we were kids. He let us y on the empty train car while he talked with men in suits. They talked too fast for me to understand them. My Polish wasn¡¯t as good then.


    A quick look around the car and I find what I need. A gun is hidden in the middle console.


    ¡°You may want to draw your weapon,¡± I say to Michael as we climb out of the SUV. We¡¯ll have to walk down several rows of cars before we get to the ce my father took me.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a good idea. Let¡¯s wait for Dominik to get here,¡± he says.


    I pause a moment, then realize my error. ¡°There¡¯s GPS in the car. He knows exactly where we are.¡±


    ¡°So maybe we should wait,¡± he urges me but keeps his voice low.


    There¡¯s a sound up ahead that makes me stop. I put a finger over my lips to keep him quiet too. He looks at me like I¡¯ve lost my mind. He¡¯s probably done this a million times and doesn¡¯t need me to exin to be quiet.


    ¡°Almost loaded, Marcin.¡± I hear a familiar voice carry to me. The car¡¯s already loaded on the tracks.


    I wave Michael to follow me and run toward the sound.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget the fucking water this time. Last week two of them nearly fucking died. I had to take half price on them.¡± My father¡¯s voice booms. He¡¯s not even trying to maintain a low profile. But why would he?


    I look over at Michael, at the gun in his hands, then at the one in mine. I¡¯ve never fired one before. I swallow, fear ws at my throat. No matter what I think I know what I¡¯m going to find, it could be worse.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    There¡¯s never been much love between my father and myself, but I¡¯ve always thought him decent. As good as a man in his position could be, but now, I¡¯m being faced with a horror that was meant for me. A terrifying scene that he¡¯d nned for me.


    ¡°Kasia.¡± Michael¡¯s whisper shakes me from my thoughts. ¡°What are you hoping to aplish here? Your father has many men here. There¡¯s just us. Let¡¯s wait for Dominik. He¡¯ll have others with him.¡±


    It¡¯s a sound n. But I¡¯m tired of waiting for backup. It¡¯s nevere before, and it¡¯s not going to start now. My father wanted me to grow up alone, he sent me with a man who would keep me in solitude. I won¡¯t cow to it. I can be strong all on my own.


    He curses when I move forward. I won¡¯t be talked out of this. When I get to the next row, I press myself against the car before looking around the corner.


    What I see twists my stomach.


    Women tethered together at the ankles and hands stand at the bottom of a ramp leading into the open train car on the tracks. They¡¯re dirty, their clothes are tattered, and they¡¯re scared. Their muffled sobs tear at my heart. Not even the gags in their mouths are helping to keep them silent. This was meant for me. That was to be my future.


    Tears prick my eyes, but I dash them away. There¡¯s no time for that.


    ¡°Kasia-¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I put my hand up in Michael¡¯s face. ¡°No more.¡± I nce back at the women. My father is walking around the five of them huddled together. The moonlight strikes his face and for a moment I can see his features. How pleased he is with his capture.


    ¡°Come with me or don¡¯t. That¡¯s your decision.¡± I cock the gun and take a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ve already made mine.¡±


    He calls for me again, but I¡¯m already walking toward them, toward my father, those women.


    ¡°Tata!¡± I call out to him. He freezes like he¡¯s been struck in the back. When he turns toward me, two of his men nk him, weapons drawn and pointed at me. That¡¯s fine, mine is aimed at him.


    ¡°Kasia?¡± He squints, the darkness probably makes it hard for him to see me. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he demands. ¡°You little fool. Is your husband here?¡± He looks past me, but there¡¯s only Michael. I can feel him close to me.


    ¡°This is what you wanted for me?¡± I stop several feet from him. The women huddle closer together. ¡°You wanted to put me on this train? Where¡¯s it going, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Who told you this?¡± he asks. His hands fidget at his sides. ¡°Who lies to you? Your husband? The Staszek asshole?¡±


    My insides shake. ¡°You sent the Kominski family to take me, to steal me away so you could sell me.¡± I can¡¯t seem to get the volume in my voice to match the rage in my chest.


    ¡°Kamac!¡± Lies.


    ¡°It was supposed to be me in that car, how many times over the years did you remind me? Me! But you didn¡¯t want me dead¡­ you wanted me here. Tied up like this, taken away and sold.¡± My voice breaks toward the end, but I can¡¯t help it. Tears build in my eyes. This is my father. My dad. The man who taught me to ride a bike when I was little. The man who once held my hand as we crossed the street.


    Before it was confirmed my mother could never get pregnant again, he held some tenderness for me. He was kind. That¡¯s the father I¡¯ve been holding in my heart. But this man standing here, looking disgusted by my presence. This isn¡¯t him.


    I raise my gun higher, pointing it at his head.


    ¡°What? You think you can pull the trigger? You¡¯re a badass now?¡± He taunts me, raising his square chin. ¡°Go on. Show me what a bad ass you are.¡±


    A tear falls down my cheek. Why can¡¯t I be steady? Why can¡¯t I tug on this fucking trigger? He deserves worse, he deserves to burn in hell.


    ¡°Why?¡± The question leaves me on a breath. ¡°Why do this when you could have just let me leave?¡±


    ¡°Leave?¡± His brows raise. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t leave. You¡¯de back, you¡¯d always be there, always need me. You¡¯d always be a spot on my family name. You needed to go away.¡±


    ¡°You could have just killed me.¡± A sharp pain hits me. I knew he didn¡¯t love me, but this, this look of disgust squeezes my heart.


    ¡°You were worth more alive.¡± His lips twist into a disturbing grin.


    ¡°Ah, but you aren¡¯t, Garska.¡± Dominik¡¯s voice booms from behind me. Tension eases in my shoulders, but I don¡¯t lower my gun. This is for me to end. Not him.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Dad sneers. ¡°Zabij ich!¡± Kill them!


    I swing my gun to the left of my father, to his men, and pull the trigger. One yelps, but doesn¡¯t go down. I think I¡¯ve hit his shoulder. Dominik rages behind me, grabbing me and shoving me backward. It takes only a second for him to pick off the two guards. One shot to the one I wounded, then one to the second man. They both crumble to the ground.


    My father looks behind him. The women are in a panic, screaming behind their gags.


    ¡°Where is everyone! Come! Come!¡± my father yells.


    Dominik stalks up to him, his gun lowered. ¡°Your men have been taken care of,¡± he says,ing toe to toe with him.


    ¡°Dominik!¡± I yell. He doesn¡¯t turn away from my father. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ let me,¡± I say still holding my gun up.


    ¡°Michael, take this prick over there for now. If he moves, shoot his cock off.¡± Dominik grabs my father by the cor and shoves him toward Michael who is already making his way to him.


    I want to demand they stop moving. To stop taking over this moment from me, but I can¡¯t get the words out. My hands shake so hard, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d even hit my target.


    I lower the gun and run to the nk leading to the train car. I need to see. I need to know how many there are.


    Air escapes me. The car is nearly full. More than twenty women. All tied together with rope, all dirty, their gags are around their necks. Some have been beaten. Others injured in other ways. All of them look back at me with terrified eyes.


    I cover my mouth, unable to bear the horror. A few of the girls are barely teenagers.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get you out,¡± I promise them as I run to the closest woman and tug on the knots. I need a knife. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ so sorry.¡± I¡¯m sobbing and tugging on their restraints.


    ¡°Kasia.¡± Dominik enters the car. ¡°Kasia.¡±


    It¡¯s not until he touches me that I realize I¡¯m not moving anymore. He turns me to face him, brings up my chin.


    ¡°They¡¯re hurt,¡± I say, a numbness starting to cloud me.


    ¡°They will be taken care of. I promise.¡± He holds my face in his hands. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°He wanted this for me.¡± I blink, tears stream down my cheeks.


    ¡°He won¡¯t hurt you ever again.¡± His jaw clenches.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t listen to you. I came without you.¡± My mind wanders like the breeze.


    He presses his forehead to mine, breathing deeply and wrapping his hands around the back of my neck.


    ¡°These girls. They need¡­ why would he¡­ and you¡­ I know you wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Shhhh.¡± He lifts away from me, leveling me with his arrogant stare. ¡°What do you need, Kasia? How do I help? What do you want me to do?¡±


    It takes a few seconds for the words to sink in. He¡¯s asking me for directions. Me, his wife.


    ¡°We have to help these women,¡± I say firmly. ¡°We can¡¯t let this go unpunished.¡±


    ¡°Your father.¡± He nods. ¡°There¡¯s been a decision on that that even I can¡¯t disobey.¡±


    I can¡¯t imagine there being a higher power than him, but I know how these things work. At least in generalities. He answers to his father, and his father answers to the families at the highest ranks.


    ¡°Do you want to say anything to him?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I look at the women. They aren¡¯t huddled anymore. No one says anything. They¡¯re probably too afraid.


    Dominik gestures to one of his men at the entrance of the car. I can¡¯t make out who it is before he jogs down the ramp and out of sight.


    Dominik pulls me to his chest, he wraps his arms around my body, then one around my head. I can¡¯t breathe very well, it¡¯s too tight, but then I hear it.


    A single shot. Muffled, but I know it for what it is.


    My father¡¯s dead.


    If Dominik wasn¡¯t holding me up, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d stay on my feet.


    When he unravels me from his arms, he kisses my forehead. It¡¯s tender, sweet, nothing like him, but exactly what I needed.


    ¡°My men will help these women. We need to leave now, though,¡± he says to me, softly.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t to be mistreated, Dominik.¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t be. I swear it, Kasia.¡± He brings my hand to his chest. ¡°So long as my heart beats, I will never lie to you.¡±


    I swallow back another sob. The night has been too much. All the strength I had when I started out has waned away, leaving me a mess.


    ¡°I think I want to go home, Dominik.¡±


    Silently, he takes my hand and leads me from the car. His men are already inside untying the women, speaking softly to them, being careful. The women that witnessed my exchange with my father watch me as I walk past them. They rub their wrists that are no longer bound.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± one says, then another.


    ¡°I am so sorry this was done to you,¡± I say to them. Dominik tugs me along before I can say more.


    Two of Dominik¡¯s men drag something heavy behind them, away from the car. A body. My father.


    Dominik won¡¯t let me stop; he tugs me along. Shouldn¡¯t I feel something? I can¡¯t untangle everything running through my mind.


    By the time we get to the car, Tommy¡¯s already there, holding the back door open. Dominik helps me inside. He says something to Tommy then climbs in next to me.


    My family is dead.


    All of them, gone.


    I¡¯m all alone.

 28

    Dominik


    It¡¯s a fucking mess.


    Marcin Garska was moving twenty-five girls in that train car. Even for a prick like him, that¡¯s ambitious. We were able to get information from one of his men before he was tossed in a death pile. The car was headed east to New York. From there it would have been put on a boat headed for Russia.


    Garska wasn¡¯t even doing business with our own people. He was bringing the fucking Bratva into the mix.


    Fucking prick.


    The women have all been moved to a hotel nearby. We¡¯ve rented the whole floor, and my men are keeping them safe.


    It¡¯s been a full day since the shit storm began, and Kasia is avoiding me. But that has to end. I can¡¯t let her sink too far into her own darkness. We may never find each other again if we do that.


    ¡°She had some lunch,¡± Margaret informs me when I walk into the kitchen. I see the empty te in her hands.


    ¡°Good.¡± I look out into the yard, toward her tree. The sun is beating down hard today, she won¡¯t be in the rose garden.


    Kasia sits in her chair, her knees pulled up to her chest and her chin resting on her knee. If she folds herself any further into herself, she¡¯ll disappear altogether.


    ¡°Boss.¡± Tommy walks into the kitchen. ¡°There¡¯s a cop at the door.¡± He looks out at Kasia. ¡°Her father¡¯s been found.¡±


    We were expecting it. It¡¯s better for Kasia if he¡¯s off the books.


    I follow Tommy to the front door. A uniformed cop and a suited-up detective stand on my porch. I know the detective.


    ¡°Mr. Staszek. We¡¯re hoping to talk with your wife, Kasia? This concerns her father.¡±


    ¡°My wife isn¡¯t feeling well. You can tell me what you need to,¡± I say, folding my arms over my chest. Asking her to pretend as though she doesn¡¯t already know her father¡¯s dead is too much. She¡¯s in pain already, I won¡¯t add to it.


    ¡°We need to notify the next of kin.¡± The cop keeps his features schooled.


    Detective Stevenson clears his throat. ¡°It¡¯ll all right. We can give the information to Mr. Staszek. If his wife has questions, she can reach out to me personally.¡± His eyes fix on me. He¡¯ll want a boost in his next payment.


    The uniformed cop frowns but gives me the news. Marcin Garska was found dead in his own train car, apparent suicide. I nod along as he speaks, not interrupting him while he tells me when and how we can get his body for burial. He can burn for all I care, but Kasia may want to give him a proper funeral.


    It¡¯s up to her.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I say once they¡¯re all done. ¡°We¡¯ll be in touch if we need anything.¡± I shut the door before the detective can make a show of handing me a card.


    ¡°Was that about Dad?¡± Kasia is behind me when I shut the door.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I bolt the door and turn to her. ¡°We can pick up his remains in two days, once they do¡­ well, what they do.¡± I¡¯m not going into details. She doesn¡¯t need those images in her mind.


    Her hair is pulled into a messy ponytail at the base of her neck, her eyes puffy from crying, and there¡¯s red blotches on her cheeks. I step toward her, and she takes one back.


    ¡°Kasia.¡±


    She shakes her head. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve never nned a funeral before.¡± She wraps her arms around her stomach.


    ¡°I can have it taken care of. Just tell me what you want. What you need.¡± Seeing her this way, the pain clearly etched on her face, the heartbreak evident in her voice ¨C it makes me want to put another bullet in Marcin¡¯s fucking head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have family¡­ he was it. An uncle, but he¡¯s still in Pnd. He never moved here.¡± She raises her eyes to mine. ¡°I don¡¯t want him buried next to my mother or sister. He doesn¡¯t get to spend eternity with them.¡±


    I nod, what else can I do? I need to wipe away her pain. ¡°He won¡¯t be.¡±


    ¡°He has friends, business associates. They will probably expect something,¡± she blows out air. Just this little bit of an interaction is taking too much energy.


    ¡°A small service. He¡¯ll be cremated and the ashes will be sent back to Pnd, to his brother. He can figure out what to do with him. Is that all right?¡±


    I take another step toward her, and she stands firm this time.


    ¡°Yes. That sounds¡­ good,¡± she frowns. There¡¯s nothing good in this situation. ¡°The women fromst night.¡±


    ¡°They are staying at the Hilton on Ogden. They¡¯re being protected and I¡¯m having two doctors head over there this afternoon to help anyone who needs it. A few girls needed immediate carest night, it¡¯s been taken care of.¡± I feel like I¡¯m making a report to my boss. If she doesn¡¯t approve, she¡¯ll slip further away. I can feel her sliding away from me.


    ¡°What will happen to them now?¡± she asks, raising her chin.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Kasia. From what I¡¯m told, some of them have been sold and bought three times over. The girls that want to go home can be taken home whenever they are ready, but the others¡­ some of them don¡¯t have anywhere to go.¡±


    Her frown deepens. ¡°They have no one,¡± she whispers. ¡°Like me.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I cringe at the force in my voice, but I can¡¯t help it. ¡°You¡¯re not like them at all. You¡¯re not alone.¡± I grab her arms, keeping her from running up the stairs. She looks like she wants to run. ¡°You¡¯re here with me. You have me.¡±


    ¡°You have everything now, Dominik. You don¡¯t need me anymore. My dad¡¯s gone; you¡¯ll get to take his territories.¡± Her shoulders sag.


    I stare at her a long moment. Remembering the panic overtaking me as I made my way to her yesterday. How I couldn¡¯t look away from the GPS tracking to be sure I knew where she was, how I could get to her. I remember the cold fear of seeing Marcin¡¯s men¡¯s guns aimed at her when I found them. If they demanded I hand over everything to keep her safe, I would have. It wouldn¡¯t have taken even a blink of an eye to agree.


    ¡°I already have everything, Kasia.¡± A tear slides down her cheek, and I catch it with my thumb, wiping it away. ¡°You. I have everything because I have you.¡±


    There¡¯s a tremble in her lower lip.


    ¡°Do you hear me? You are everything I need.¡± I grip her tighter. ¡°Tell me I haven¡¯t lost you because of this, tell me you¡¯re not gone from me,¡± I demand.


    She brings her hands up and wraps them around my wrist. Not to tear me away from her, but to touch me. To put a connection between us.


    ¡°You¡¯re not my father,¡± she says quietly. ¡°Even in your most asshole moods, you¡¯ve never made me feel unnecessary.¡±


    I should have been the one to put that bullet in Marcin¡¯s head. Maybe I wouldn¡¯t feel so much anger toward him still. ¡°I promise, Kasia, I swear on my mother¡¯s grave, I will never allow anyone to hurt you again. You will never feel alone, never be without love again. Never.¡± It¡¯s a vow I feel more sincerely than the ones I muttered in that damn chapel weeks ago.


    Was it that short of a time ago? It feels like Kasia has been in my life for longer, much longer. Maybe because she takes up so much of my life now.


    There¡¯s purpose to me now. Not just work, but her. She¡¯s my point.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I took off like that,¡± she says after a long silence stretches between us. ¡°I should have waited for you. I thought¡­ I was afraid you wouldn¡¯t let me go.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have,¡± I say honestly. ¡°I would have tied you to my bed to keep you from going there to see what you saw. To have that horror etched into your mind.¡±


    ¡°When you got there, you didn¡¯t order your men to take me away. You asked me what I wanted done.¡± She seems confused by this still. Doesn¡¯t she understand?


    ¡°I will always be there, always ready to stand in front of you to protect you, and to stand behind you when you need support.¡± I press my forehead to hers. ¡°Kocham Cie, Kasia.¡± I love you.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Kocham Cie, Dominik.¡±


    It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard her speak in Polish, and I will always remember it.


    I kiss her, not one of ownership or power, but a tender kiss that rys every emotion I hold for her. I went into this marriage as a way to help my father, a way to expand our territory. But I¡¯ve gotten so much more.


    I have Kasia.

 29

    Kasia


    It¡¯s past nine o¡¯clock when Dominikes up to our bedroom. He sent me up here after dinner to think about what was going to happen when he came up.


    My father¡¯s service was two weeks ago. His ashes have probably already reached his brother in Pnd. I met with his attorney this afternoon and signed all the paperwork to im my inheritance. My father never wanted me to have anything, but he never changed his will. I get everything.


    I want none of it.


    Instead I¡¯ve instructed my father¡¯s attorney to sell everything that can be sold. Once everything¡¯s liquidated, Dominik has agreed to help me build a halfway house for women. I know his family doesn¡¯t sell women, but that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not happening.


    Every woman we saved that night has been brought home or are being set up with a new life. That¡¯s why the halfway house is needed. They need a safe ce to stay while they get an education, find new footing in this world. I may not be using my education degree to teach young minds, but I will be using my skills to help people who need a helping hand.


    And yet¡­ I¡¯m sitting in our bedroom, waiting for my husband toe upstairs to punish me.


    He mentioned something about getting too big for my britches. My grandmother used to use that term. It¡¯s old school, but if I know anything about my husband, it¡¯s how traditional he is. And he doesn¡¯t like it when his wife starts ordering him about in front of his men. And I suppose outright defying him when he told me to stay out of the sun this afternoon wasn¡¯t the right move either.


    If he thought having me worry about the punishment was going to make it worse, he was mistaken. He won¡¯t spank me, that will be sad because I do love it when he brings a hot hum to my body, but he¡¯ll use pleasure against me. I¡¯m not worried.


    The bedroom door opens, and Dominik walks inside with a tight expression. He¡¯s been home most of the day, so he¡¯s not wearing his suit. He¡¯s in a casual t-shirt and ck jeans. His feet are bare.


    I stand up from the bed, drop my robe to the floor at my feet. It¡¯s a challenge.


    He raises his left eyebrow.


    ¡°Obviously, I¡¯ve been too lenient with you over these past weeks.¡± He heads straight for the closet and jerks the door open. He¡¯s been wonderful these past weeks. I¡¯ve seen a new side of him, tender and passionate. But I miss the other part of him, the tense, arrogant, stubborn dominant part of him.


    There¡¯s a stick in his hand when he reemerges from the closet.


    ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± I give a pointed look to his hand.


    ¡°Oh this?¡± He waves it in the air, creating a sharp swishing sound. ¡°It¡¯s a cane, Kasia.¡±


    I back up a pace until my legs hit the bed. ¡°A cane?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡± He stalks to me, kicking my robe out of the way. ¡°You¡¯ve been a big talker these past few days.¡± He presses the tip of the cane to my chin, pushing it up until my head is back and I have to look down the length of my nose at him.


    ¡°I was¡­ I mean¡­¡± I shrug. ¡°Sorry?¡±


    He breaks into a wide grin, but the resolve is still there. ¡°Not yet, but you will be, Kasia. I promise. Turn around and put your hands t on the bed. Stick your ass out.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sure you don¡¯t want to do that thing with the vibrator again?¡± I ask. I¡¯m walking the line, teasing him like this, but my nerves have started acting up. I¡¯ve never had the cane used on me. His belt feels good, his hand is amazing, and the flogger he usedst week sent me flying fast. But this beast doesn¡¯t look like it will do anything other than hurt.


    ¡°No, no. This is better for a naughty girl like you. A few stripes across your ass and you¡¯ll be ready for the rest of your punishment.¡±


    ¡°Rest?¡±


    ¡°This is just the beginning. Now turn around, bad girl.¡± He taps the cane to my cheek then walks back a few steps to give me room to get in position.


    With a shaky stomach, I do what he says. It¡¯s not going to be so bad. Dominik won¡¯t do anything that I can¡¯t survive.


    ¡°Keep your hands out of my way, keep your feet nted, and unless you¡¯re going to thank me, don¡¯t open your mouth. Understood?¡± He presses the length of the cane against my ass.


    It won¡¯t be bad.


    ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± I fist my hands, just in case.


    The first strike sends my brain rocketing into orbit. I¡¯m off the bed, jumping up and down, grabbing my ass. Fuck!


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t even be good for the first stroke.¡± He shakes his head sadly, but I can see his cock pressing against his jeans. He¡¯s not entirely unhappy about all this. ¡°Back in position. Now I have to start over.¡±


    I take a deep breath and go back over the bed. I¡¯ll do it better. He won¡¯t get the better of me.


    The second stroke makes me scream, but I keep my feet nted.


    He runs the cane over the line of fire thest stroke made.


    ¡°Bad girls don¡¯t get to have orgasms, isn¡¯t that right?¡± He turns the cane and runs it between my legs, up through my wet sex. Fuck, I already want him, and it¡¯s only been two strokes.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± I clench my teeth.


    ¡°Hmmm, I think tonight will be different.¡± A drawer opens and closes and then he drops a small vibrator on my hand. ¡°Tonight, you¡¯ll practice obedience. Use that toy to make yourselfe for me, Kasia.¡±


    I look over my shoulder; he¡¯s still holding the cane.


    ¡°Do you need that?¡± I ask him.


    He smiles. ¡°Oh definitely.¡±


    He¡¯s yful. That¡¯s never a good thing when he¡¯s trying to punish me.


    ¡°Dominik. I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯ve been rude.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want your apology yet. I¡¯ll let you know when. Now get to work.¡± He uses the cane to point to the vibrator.


    I sigh and pick it up. After I switch it on, I ce it over my clit. The vibrations right away kick up my arousal, the fact that he¡¯s watching only heightens my need.


    Just as I start to care more about the good sensation than his eyes lingering on me, he brings the cane down on my ass. I jolt forward, my brain screeches to a halt.


    ¡°Carry on,¡± he says.


    I clench my jaw and get back to it, chasing down the pleasure before he can take it away from me, but as soon as my body tightens, the canees down again, and again.


    I growl. It¡¯s distracting having both happening at the same time.


    ¡°Keep going.¡± He taps the cane to my ass.


    This time I¡¯m careful to hide my expression. I get close, so close to the first burst of release when the canees down sharply, harder than the others across my ass. I cry out, but I don¡¯t move the vibrator away. I¡¯m too close to stop now. He brings the cane down again, but I¡¯m lost to the waves.


    The sharp strike of the cane melds into the haze of my orgasm, and there¡¯s no separation between them. I¡¯m all wrapped up in both sensations, being carried off with them. I copse forward on the bed, humping the vibrator harder as his hands grab my hips.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop,¡± he orders and the canends on the bed beside my head. He unzips his pants and presses the length of his cock between my ass cheeks.


    Instinct makes my body tense. I clench every muscle.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tighten up, Kasia, it will only make this next part more ufortable.¡± His thumb swipes through my wet folds, pushing the vibrator out of the way as he gathers up my own juices to use against me. He¡¯s good at this, at making my desire a punishment.


    ¡°Dominik,¡± I reach behind and grasp his wrist. He¡¯s fingered me there before, but never has his cock pierced my asshole.


    He shakes off my hand and smacks my ass, sending a ripple of fire through my body.


    ¡°Don¡¯t reach back here again. Keep that vibrator on your clit.¡± He smears my juices across my asshole, then presses the tip of his cock against my tight ring of muscle. I clench my eyes, and everything else. ¡°Rx, Kasia. I¡¯m fucking your ass with or without your help. Either this hurts a lot or not too bad. Your choice.¡± He pulls my ass cheeks apart and presses harder against me. The round head of his cock intrudes, breaking through the muscle.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I yell, fisting my hand and pressing my face into the bed. I can¡¯t do it. It burns, so much heat.


    ¡°Deep breath.¡± He thrusts further, the pain increases, but I do what he says. I suck in a hot breath and force my body to soften. If I don¡¯t fight him, if I give over, it will be easier. It might be good. It¡¯s the same with him. When I charge at him, he¡¯s a brick wall ¨C unmovable.


    ¡°Fuck, Kasia.¡± He moans behind me as his cock inches further. Tears escape my clenched lids. ¡°So tight.¡± He reaches around me, taking the vibrator from me and pressing it harder against my body.


    Vibrations blossom new arousal.


    ¡°Dominik,¡± I whisper his name, though I¡¯m not sure what I want from him. I don¡¯t want him to stop, that I know, that I won¡¯t tell him.


    ¡°Such a good girl, taking my cock up your ass.¡± He thrusts harder. ¡°Take all of me.¡± His order is overpowered by his final push. Completely embedded in my ass, I can¡¯t believe how full I feel. How hot and needy I am for him.


    ¡°Please,¡± I cry when the vibrator passes over my clit again. I arch my back, pushing my ass back at him. He¡¯s a rough man, an impossible man, and it¡¯s his power I crave now. I need all of it, the parts that hurt, the parts that soothe. Every bit of it sets my body on fire. An inferno only he can extinguish.


    ¡°Who owns you, Kasia?¡± He plows into me hard. The stripes from the cane sting, pushing me to another level of desire.


    ¡°You do, Dominik.¡± And I mean it. I can¡¯t imagine being with anyone else. Giving myself this way to anyone else.


    ¡°Are you going to be good now?¡± Another hard thrust and my ass clings around his shaft, stretching to fit him into me.


    If he¡¯ll keep fucking me like this the rest of my life, I¡¯ll vow obedience every single night.


    ¡°Yes!¡± There¡¯s another orgasm rising. The vibrator rubs against my clit while his cock fills me.


    He shoves hard into me. ¡°Do you think you deserve toe again?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Please, Dominik. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll be good. I promise!¡±


    He growls behind me, his body doing all the talking now. ¡°Kasia.¡± My name is all the permission I need.


    When the bubble inside me bursts, I hold nothing back. He doesn¡¯t slow, he doesn¡¯t give me time to adjust to the harsh waves of pleasure sucking the breath out of me. He fucks me even harder, chasing after his own release.


    My hips hurt when his nails dig into my skin as he¡¯s carried away with his own orgasm. He groans, yelling out my name once, then stills behind me.


    The room is silent. Except for the hum of the vibrator. He switches the little bullet off and tosses it toward the pillows.


    Dominik smacks my ass as he pulls free of my body. I clench my asshole, not wanting his seed to drip down my legs.


    ¡°Go slow,¡± he says. The tenderness has returned to his voice. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± With a feathery touch his fingertips touch my ass cheek.


    ¡°No,¡± I¡¯m quick to assure him.


    He grunts. ¡°I went too easy on you, then.¡±


    Gingerly, I climb up into bed, under the covers and wait for him.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    He finishes shucking off his clothes and tosses the cane to the floor. The bed dips when he climbs beneath the covers. After flicking the light off, he gathers me up in his arms and holds me tight to his chest. A chaste kiss is pressed to my forehead.


    ¡°Kasia. My family will be here soon. When my father¡¯s here, you have to behave.¡± I hear the warning. He¡¯s let me off easy tonight; he won¡¯t be so tolerant when his family is around.


    ¡°You want to put on a show of strength for your dad?¡±


    ¡°No. I want him to see you for what you are, and this little brat you¡¯ve been ying at this past week isn¡¯t you.¡± He hugs me tighter.


    He¡¯s not wrong. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into me.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± he says. ¡°I¡¯ve been too sweet, given you too much room to wander around alone. So, you act out. You¡¯re not fragile, Kasia. And I¡¯m going to stop treating you like you are.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, this part of you anyway.¡± I say into the darkness, snuggling into his chest.


    ¡°You won¡¯t have to miss me anymore. There¡¯s a lot of work to do, for both of us. And together we can do it all.¡±


    It warms me to hear him talk this way. There¡¯s no more him and me, it¡¯s always us. We¡¯re together.


    ¡°I love you, Dominik.¡± I yawn.


    ¡°I love you, too, Kasia.¡± He kisses my head again. ¡°Now, get some sleep before I have to pick up the cane and we start all over again.¡±


    Iugh, but he pinches where a welt is forming from the cane.


    ¡°All right. I get your point.¡±


    ¡°Good girl.¡±

 30

    Dominik


    A monthter¡­


    Kasia¡¯s a bundle of nerves, pacing around the house looking for something to do. Margaret¡¯s already kicked her out of the kitchen twice.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Kasia. You are going to wear a hole in the living room,¡± I say, not looking up from my phone.


    ¡°I wish Margaret would let me do something. I hate having nothing to do but wait.¡±


    My father and sister areing over for dinner. They¡¯ve been home for a few days, but Kasia has been so busy with the halfway house, I suggested we wait for the weekend.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they here yet?¡± Jakub saunters into the living room with a palm full of ck olives. He pops one into his mouth then peeks out the front window.


    ¡°They will get here when they get here.¡± I shake my head. Not an ounce of patience between the two of them. And the most impulsive one, my sister, hasn¡¯t even arrived yet.


    ¡°What if your sister doesn¡¯t like me?¡± Kasia whispers to me, ncing over to be sure Jakub can¡¯t hear her. All the drama in our lives has kept her and Jakub from really getting to know each other, but things are settling now. As much as life in my world can calm.


    ¡°My sister? What about my dad?¡±


    She scrunches up her face and blows off the idea. ¡°No. If your sister doesn¡¯t like me, it¡¯s a bigger problem. Trust me.¡±


    I roll my eyes. Lena can be petty. She¡¯s definitely spoiled and stubborn, but she won¡¯t cause trouble for Kasia and me. She¡¯ll be happy for us.


    ¡°Here they are.¡± Jakub tosses thest olive into his mouth and heads to the door.


    I nce at Kasia then stuff my phone in my jeans. ¡°Rx. They will love you. And if they don¡¯t, they¡¯ll keep it to themselves.¡± Or they¡¯ll face me.


    Myment doesn¡¯t rx her.


    I grab her hand and we go to the door together. When I pull it open, I see my father making his way up the front steps. He¡¯s alone. His driver is already back in the car pulling away to park in the garage.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Lena?¡± I ask.


    My father looks to me, his eyes widen. ¡°She¡¯s not here?¡±


    My stomach falls. ¡°Why would she be here? Didn¡¯t shee with you?¡±


    ¡°She went out with friends this morning, said she¡¯d meet me here,¡± my father exins. He pulls out his phone and shows me her message.


    I read the text.


    Going to Dom¡¯s on my own. See you there.


    I hand the phone back. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get inside then we¡¯ll call her,¡± I say. ¡°You should meet Kasia first, though.¡± I take her hand and squeeze.


    ¡°Mr. Staszek,¡± she smiles at him.


    He looks her over then grins. ¡°My son tells me you¡¯re nothing like your old man.¡± He nods. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    She tightens her hold on me but keeps quiet. I¡¯ll talk to himter about being an ass.


    ¡°I¡¯m kidding.¡± He pulls her into him for a big hug. No matter what an asshole the man is on the streets, when ites to his family, he¡¯s always been a bit of a softy. At least where the women were concerned. ¡°I¡¯m d to have you in the family. Dominik says only kind things about you. And as big of an asshole he may be, he¡¯s an honest asshole,¡± he says with anotherugh.


    While they make small talk, I call Lena. The call goes to voicemail.


    ¡°She texted you instead of talking to you at home?¡±


    ¡°I told you, she went out with her friends. I got her text while I was changing my shoes.¡± He points at his new loafers. The man loves his shoes the way some men enjoy cars.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t text her back or call her?¡± I demand. He¡¯s too permissive with her.


    ¡°She said she¡¯ll be here. She¡¯ll be here. It¡¯s not like she isn¡¯t old enough to have her own ns,¡± Dad argues. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± He looks to Kasia. ¡°Did you eat lunch yet?¡±


    Kasia gives me a quick nce then steps toward the kitchen. ¡°No, we were waiting for you.¡± She disappears into the kitchen with my father and brother following after her.


    I look down at my phone again.


    Lena was born in Chicago. All of her friends are here. Maybe she just wanted to go out for a bit before she came over, or she wanted to have her own ride so she could duck out in time to meet up with friends.


    I tell myself all of this as I head to the kitchen, but there¡¯s a sinking sensation in my stomach that nags me.


    ¡°Dominik,¡± my dad says from next to Kasia at the kitchen ind. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your sister¡¯s just being a pain in the ass again. She¡¯ll be here soon. Come. Let¡¯s eat. I¡¯m starving. Then we can talk business.¡±


    I watch Kasia talk with my father like she¡¯s known him for years. He¡¯s already at ease around her. She¡¯s good with that. Making people feel important. Making them feel wanted.


    I put my phone away. Lena will be here soon.


    Maybe if I say it enough times it wille true.


    Kasia smiles at me, and the worry fades away. Things can¡¯t go wrong on a day as good as this.


    ¡°He¡¯s nice,¡± Kasia whispers to me as she puts a te in front of me. Iugh. My father is no such thing. But it¡¯s good if she thinks so. She¡¯s had enough darkness in her life.


    I won¡¯t allow it to ever happen again.


    She will always feel loved.


    She will always be mine.


    Forever.     The End of book 1 continue reading for book 2.

 31

    Lena


    Theirughter rolls over my skin like shards of ss. The nking of coffee cups and dishes sts like bombs in my ears.


    ¡°Lena, I told you not to drink thatst shot,¡± Marie chides me with a softugh. She shifts in her seat to help block some of the sun from pouring through the cafe window into my face. It doesn¡¯t help.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that,¡± I say, taking another sip of my coffee. My head hadn¡¯t ached when I woke this morning. It¡¯s only since I sat down with Marie and Tanya that a dull ache took root then bloomed into the thunderous pounding it is now.


    ¡°You look sort of pale,¡± Tanya says, pressing the back of her hand to my cheek. ¡°No fever.¡±


    I roll my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s just a headache. A migraine probably. I haven¡¯t had one in a long time. I¡¯m due.¡± I brush her hand away. The rm on my phone dings, and I check the time. ¡°Shit. I¡¯m going to bete.¡± I down the rest of mytte in onerge gulp.


    ¡°Off to the suburbs? Can¡¯t you stay a bit longer? We were going to go shopping.¡± Marie tugs on my hand. A wave of nausea hits me, and I still myself for a moment until it fades. Maybe a trip out to my brother¡¯s house isn¡¯t such a good idea.


    ¡°Dom will murder me if I don¡¯t show,¡± I say when I get moving again. Showing up with a migraine is better than not showing up at all. My oldest brother doesn¡¯t need another reason to lecture me on my perceived irresponsibility.


    ¡°Lena, you really look bad.¡± Tanya stands from her chair. ¡°Maybe I should drive you home.¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m fine.¡± I sling my purse over my shoulder. The cafe is filled, not an empty seat to be had. I¡¯m going to have to maneuver through the crowd to get to the door and every move I make brings another wave of unsteadiness.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Marie asks, concern weighing down the question. She nces over at the counter. ¡°Let Sergio walk you to your car.¡±


    Sergio is hertest fuckbuddy. He¡¯ll do pretty much anything she asks if it means he¡¯ll get into her panties.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°No. No. It¡¯s too busy.¡± I push her arm down. ¡°It¡¯s just too crowded in here. I¡¯ll be fine once I get outside in the fresh air. Dominik¡¯s waiting and my father too. I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I assure them, but the dark cloud fogging my head suggests I¡¯m lying.


    ¡°What can I get youdies?¡± Sergio pops up at our table, his eyes focused on Marie.


    ¡°Sergio, Lena¡¯s not feeling well. Will you take her to her car?¡± Marieys on the sugar with her question.


    ¡°Sure.¡± He turns to me. ¡°You okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I roll my eyes, which sends my head into another spin. I grab hold of the back of my chair and take a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡±


    He darts a look at the counter then back to me. ¡°You sure?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m good.¡±


    He nods, but his eyes are focused off in the distance, behind me.


    ¡°Okay, then. I should get back.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to you before I leave.¡± Marie wiggles her fingers at him. He throws her a wink then hurries back between the tables. Sergio¡¯s family owns the Corner Cafe, a small cafe in the center of Chicago¡¯s Little Pnd.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you both tomorrow.¡± I lean over and give Marie a peck to both cheeks then do the same with Tanya. ¡°I need to give you the presents I brought back from Pnd for you.¡±


    ¡°Just be careful driving.¡± Tanya squeezes me when she hugs me. ¡°You really look bad.¡±


    Iugh, sending more pain through my head. ¡°Thanks.¡± I wave off her apology. I¡¯mte, and my oldest brother will make me sit through a lecture I¡¯m in no condition to sit through if I don¡¯t hurry.


    Maneuvering through the cafe leaves me dizzy, but I don¡¯t stop moving until I¡¯m outside. Taking a few deep breaths helps to settle my head. Maybe I¡¯m nervous. My father has set the bar high for Dominik¡¯s wife, but he¡¯s impressed with her. If she¡¯s been able to tolerate Dominik for this long withing attempting his murder, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s worth my father¡¯s approval. Standing beside her will probably only highlight my shorings.


    My phone dings again with my notifications. I need to get going. I hurry across Milwaukee Avenue and head down the side street. Parking lots are a luxury this part of town doesn¡¯t have. I was lucky to find a spot on the street not too far from the cafe.


    As I walk, another pair of footsteps falls in behind me. I slip my keys from my purse and tuck a single key between two of my fingers like Dominik taught me when I was in high school. My car is only two spots ahead of me.


    My heart hammers into my ribs, falling in line with the heavy throb of my head.


    I turn my head enough to see a single man walking. He¡¯s dressed in a pair of ck jeans and a ck t-shirt. His dark hair is slicked back across his head, and he¡¯s wearing a pair of sunsses. He¡¯s catching up to me.


    There¡¯s a bus stop on this corner. Maybe he¡¯s just trying to get to it before the next pickup.


    Once I¡¯m close, I click the unlock button on my fob and hurry to my door. I grab the door handle and look up. The man¡¯s gone.


    As I pull the door toward me a hand smashes over my mouth from behind. I¡¯m yanked backward into a hard chest. My mind whirls at the jerky movements. I can¡¯t catch my footing and my bnce is gone.


    ¡°Keep quiet.¡± Themand is growled into my ear as I¡¯m yanked toward the trunk of my car. I fling my arms, trying to catch him with my fingernails, but I¡¯m losing strength. What was dizziness moments before has turned into a cyclone. My legs are heavy, my hands even more so.


    Something¡¯s wrong with me. I¡¯m not even fighting him as he pops the trunk and shoves me inside.


    Once inside, I roll to my side, looking up at him. The man walking behind me. His sses cover his eyes, but I can see the disgust curling his lip.


    ¡°Keep still.¡± He points a finger at me. The sunlight from behind him blurs my vision. I push my hands again the trunk and try to sit, but my body rebels against me. I end up sinking down andying my head against the pile of dry cleaning I was supposed to drop off yesterday but never did.


    I close my eyes, but it¡¯s when the trunk is mmed that the darkness covers me. The car shifts. One door shuts then the other.


    Two men speak. I can¡¯t hear them clearly. My head pounds harder, as though my brain wants out of my skull. I should be making the same noise against my trunk. I should be kicking and screaming, but it takes every ounce of energy I have to stay awake.


    But even that onlysts another moment. The car¡¯s moving into traffic.


    The men are still talking, and I realize why I can¡¯t understand them.


    Lord help me.


    These men are speaking Russian.

 32

    Micah


    The restaurant is alive. The wait staff gracefully whisks through the tables to the kitchen. Dinersugh and shovel food into their mouths between sips of expensive wine. As opening weekends go, this seems to be a sess. I step out of the back office, tugging on my sleeve beneath my suit jacket.


    A quick nce around the dining room and I find the reporter from the Sun Times. She¡¯s at a table with three other people, so I¡¯ll leave her alone. An honest review is what I¡¯m after anyway. Getting in the way of her meal might work against me.


    ¡°Micah, don¡¯t forget your father,¡± Niko, one of my most trusted men, tells me.


    ¡°I¡¯m headed there now.¡± I readjust my jacket before I make my way through the dining room to where he¡¯s enjoying his meal.


    I stop a waitress, a little blonde thing with a round ass and generous tits. ¡°Bring another bottle of wine to my father¡¯s table, and make sure he doesn¡¯t wait for anything. No dys. Understood?¡±


    She bats her false eyshes at me. ¡°Of course, Mr. Ivanov.¡±


    I step into the back room where my father sits with my cousin, Dimitri. They¡¯ve already enjoyed several appetizers; the empty tters are scattered around the table.


    ¡°Micah.¡± My father¡¯s lips spread into a grin. He¡¯s been well fed, and the liquor has been pouring. He¡¯s in a good mood.


    ¡°Father.¡± I shake his hand then turn to my cousin who is wiping his mouth with the white linen napkin. ¡°Dimitri.¡± I take the seat beside my father, pushing the ce setting away from me.


    ¡°Everything so far is delicious.¡± Dimitri pats his belly.


    ¡°Good to hear.¡± The blonde waitress stops at the table with my drink-a shot of vodka with carbonated water. Good girl, I didn¡¯t even have to ask for it.


    ¡°Profits look good?¡± Money is my father, Roman Ivanov¡¯s, best friend.


    I nod, assuring him the investment he made in the restaurant was a solid decision. ¡°Once the reviewse out, we¡¯ll have a steady stream of customers. I already have the next two months¡¯ weekends booked for reservations,¡± I exin.


    ¡°Good. Good.¡± He nods. ¡°We¡¯ll wait a few months and then we can talk about other options.¡±


    Laundering, he means.


    ¡°Six months at least,¡± I say. In that time, I should be able to show him the profits that can be made with some legitimacy. Tainting the business with the Ivanov money won¡¯t benefit us, but it will take time to show him. My father is the head of our family, and it¡¯s been generations since we took a legitimate path. He¡¯s still married to the old ways, and it will take time.


    ¡°It would be nice if Igor were here, to see what you¡¯ve done.¡± My father gestures toward the crowded dining room. We¡¯re in a sectioned-off area of the restaurant but we can still see the majority of the restaurant.


    ¡°It would,¡± I agree, averting my gaze to the floral centerpiece on the table. My older brother would have stopped me from even attempting this venture. Being the oldest, and next in line to take over our family line, he would have convinced my father what a foolish investment it was. Igor was powerful, strong, but hecked vision that would move this family outside of the past.


    Sadness shes in my father¡¯s eyes at the mention of my older brother. Igor¡¯s been gone for two years, but in some ways my father mourns his death as though it happened yesterday.


    ¡°We see how well this ce is doing, so, Dimitri. Tell me. How are you doing?¡± My father tears a piece of bread and chews on it. Business is a good cover for grief.


    ¡°Everything looks good on my end, Uncle.¡± Dimitri runs his fingertips along the edge of his ss. ¡°Profits will be up this month.¡±


    ¡°Good, good.¡±


    I pluck the sliver of lime from the brim of my ss and drop it inside, swishing around the drink. This isn¡¯t the ce for a business meeting, not with so many reporters in the restaurant. But telling Roman Ivanov what he can and can¡¯t do isn¡¯t my ce.


    ¡°We can talk more in my office.¡± I eye Dimitri then nce at my father. ¡°Or at home.¡±


    ¡°Here is fine.¡± My father switches from English to Russian. ¡°I have definitive proof of the Staszek family involvement in the lost shipmentst month.¡± My father¡¯s lips pinch together into a straight line.


    Before I can question him, his meal arrives, and new tes are distributed. The house special of prime rib is put out before him. Another te in front of Dimitri.


    ¡°Looks good.¡± Dimitri picks up a fork and knife, ready to dig in. Once the servers are gone, I raise my brow at my father.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°You were saying?¡±


    He leans back in his chair. ¡°They stole the shipment.¡±


    ¡°The entire lot?¡± I ask. There were over twenty women in thest shipment. I had warned him such arge group was risky, even with the help of the Garska family, but now isn¡¯t the time to remind him.


    ¡°What does Garska say about it?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± My father shakes his head. ¡°He¡¯s dead. Shot in the head. Suicide.¡± He wiggles his fingers in the air to project quotation marks.


    ¡°And you think Staszek had something to do with it? Wasn¡¯t he in Europe for a while? Legal trouble?¡± The Staszek family has held a truce with the Ivanov family for two decades. They stay on their side of Chicago and we stay on ours. Everyone ys nice and stays alive. What would make them break the agreement now?


    ¡°He was, yes. His son, Dominik, took Garska¡¯s daughter for his wife. They intervened, took our girls.¡±


    Our girls.


    My stomach knots at the phrasing. They¡¯re nothing more than product to my father. They were even less than that to my brother. To me, they¡¯re the guilt rotting my stomach. But I don¡¯t express my disgust for this part of his business-our business.


    ¡°Is Joseph Staszek home?¡± Maybe a conversation with the father will make the son fall in line. It¡¯s worked well enough in our family. But the Bratva men aren¡¯t easily swayed by our women. It will take a hell of a lot more than some girl to destroy my family name. If Dominik allowed his wife to get involved. If he did in fact steal my father¡¯s shipment of girls being sent home to Russia, the truce can be voided.


    ¡°He is.¡± My father nods, digging his phone out of the inside of his pocket. He swipes across the screen several times then looks up at me with a severity I haven¡¯t seen since Igor¡¯s car was found wrapped around a traffic light. His eyes darken with a brewing storm, and his eyebrows,ced with traces of gray, knit together.


    ¡°This can¡¯t go unanswered, Micah.¡± His words fall between us like concrete boulders. He considers the truce broken.


    I steal a quick nce at my cousin, who salivates for a reason to go to war. He doesn¡¯t care about who, only that he¡¯ll be able to knock in heads, and kill his enemies without question or provocation. He¡¯s as savage as Igor was.


    Not as cool-headed as me.


    ¡°What do you want done?¡± I lean one elbow on the table and turn toward him, giving him my full attention.


    tes nk in the dining room. A bubble ofughter bursts from somewhere near the bar. The restaurant can wait. I have managers to deal with the business. My father won¡¯t be cated like a toddler given a lollipop. He requires my utmost attention.


    He turns his phone toward me. A photograph-no, a live stream.


    ¡°It¡¯s being taken care of.¡±

 33

    Lena


    It¡¯s dark outside. Inside too.


    There¡¯s amp on the side table beside the cot in this room I¡¯m locked in, but I leave it off. I¡¯ve seen enough of the white painted walls and cold cement flooring during the daytime. My headache is gone, as well as the nausea, leaving plenty of room for the breath-stealing fear to grow.


    Whatever drug theyced mytte with has worked out of my system. Other than a dry mouth and hunger rumbling my stomach, I¡¯m the picture of perfect health. There¡¯s a ss of water perched on the side table, next to themp, but I won¡¯t take the chance. Waking up in here was horrific enough the first time. If they drug me again, who knows where I¡¯ll wake up.


    I clench my teeth together and wrap my arms around myself. The light sweater I was wearing over the thin cotton sundress when they took me does nothing to ward off the chill in this room.


    Where am I?


    I take another calm breath. Most of my energy is wasted on keeping calm. No one has spoken to me since I¡¯ve been awake. Other than a small, frail woman rushing in with the water and then running back out, I¡¯ve seen no one.


    But they see me.


    My attention focuses on the camera fixed to the ceiling in the corner of the room. The red light blinks at me, taunting me. Anyone could have taken me. My father isn¡¯t exactly well loved. A man with his power has enemies. It¡¯s how we ended up hiding out in Pnd. Someone tried to have him arrested, put away for years if not the rest of his life. Now that they failed, they¡¯ve taken me.


    Crying from the other side of the door snags my attention and I rush to it, pressing my ear to the wood paneling. It¡¯s a thin door, one I could probably kick through. But it¡¯s also bolted.


    ¡°No! No!¡± A woman¡¯s plea scratches against me, sharp as ss. I yank on the handle again, cursing at the stupidity of it. I can¡¯t help that girl any more than I can help myself.


    A door ms. More crying. A broken sob fades as the cries soften. She¡¯s been taken somewhere, but where?


    The chill of the wood against my forehead as I press against it doesn¡¯t do anything to cool my anger. Or my fear.


    I tten my hands against the door, and count to ten as I drag in a breath. My diaphragm extends. Hold for three seconds, release. Repeat. On my third round, the bolt jiggles from the other side of the door.


    Jerking backward, I barely miss being hit by it when it swings open. I trip on my heel, but catch myself before I fall on my ass by grabbing onto the edge of the bed.


    The man in the doorway says nothing as he steps inside and shuts the door. What little light pouring in with him is blocked out again. He steps into a beam of moonlight spilling into the room from the small window.


    He¡¯s well dressed in a suit. Leather shoes, firmly pressed ck cks. The white button-down shirt beneath his jacket has ivory buttons. He¡¯s missing a tie, and the top two buttons are open.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you have the light on?¡± He breaks the suffocating silence.


    I move around the bed, putting another foot between us. Somehow it matters, even though it doesn¡¯t.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± I keep my voice even. If he¡¯s the sort of monster that feeds off fear, he¡¯ll have to get his meal elsewhere.


    His steps are quiet along the floor as he moves to the side table. With a click, yellow light floods the room. I close my eyes and look away for a moment, slowly letting them adjust. It¡¯s not bright, just new.


    I blink my eyes open, bringing my attention into focus on him. My heart stops. Another second. It flutters to life again, dragging my lungs along with it.


    I¡¯ve seen this man before.


    His dark hair isbed back, but not slick with gel as some of the other men I¡¯ve seen him with. There¡¯s a shadow of a beard on his jaw, but it¡¯s the scar-jagged and long-that captures my gaze.


    ¡°Lena Staszek.¡± My stomach twists as he says my name. ¡°Your brother and your father have been very, very bad.¡± He¡¯s taunting me.


    ¡°My brother and father are going to kill you when they find out what you¡¯ve done,¡± I threaten, and it¡¯s true. I¡¯m a possession-their possession and they won¡¯t ept this insult.


    Heughs. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll want to.¡± He scratches his jaw, along the scar. ¡°Do you know where you are?¡± He levels his eyes on me. Danger. Every second his dark gaze focuses on me, my brain screams the word.


    ¡°You¡¯re an Ivanov,¡± I use, not answering his question. I¡¯ve seen the Ivanov family at parties, but I¡¯ve never been so close.


    Knowing who he is gives me insight to my location, but I¡¯m not ready to admit it too loudly yet.


    ¡°Micah Ivanov.¡± He slips his hands into his pockets. ¡°I¡¯ll ask again, but this is thest time I¡¯ll be generous enough to repeat my question, do you know where you are?¡±


    There¡¯s a warning underlining his words. My chest tightens. There is nowhere for me to run. If this man wants to do horrible, terrible things to me, I¡¯ll have nowhere to hide.


    ¡°I think so.¡± I step further back until I¡¯m pressed against the wall. It¡¯s not much, but at least it¡¯s some protection.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± he insists, his chin raising a fraction. Is he daring me?


    ¡°This is where you hold the women you sell.¡± My voice cracks on thest word, but I quickly clear my throat to cover it up. I¡¯ve been told horror stories of the Ivanov family. The holding cells, the auctions, the trading of flesh.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He pauses. ¡°This is where my father holds the women he sells,¡± he rifies. There¡¯s a distinction he wants me to understand.


    ¡°I¡¯m not one of those women,¡± I tell him. ¡°I¡¯m Lena Staszek. My father, Joseph Staszek, will not stand for this. You should release me now before there¡¯s more trouble.¡± I point to the door only two feet away to my right. He didn¡¯t lock it when he came in. I could throw it open and run-right into a guard.


    ¡°I know who you are.¡± He smiles, as though this entire conversation is a yful distraction to the rest of his day. ¡°I also know why you¡¯re here, but do you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I drop my hand back to my side, fisting it.


    ¡°You¡¯re here because your family stole from mine.¡± He folds his arms over his chest. ¡°You¡¯re here as retribution for that theft. Though I¡¯m not entirely sure we¡¯ll recoup the loss on your sale alone.¡±


    My sale.


    My throat closes.


    ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± I manage to say, pushing my chin higher. What my voicecks in strength, I can make up in demeanor. My father always used me of having a murderous re when angered. I can only hope he wasn¡¯t exaggerating.


    ¡°Oh, I assure you we can.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you think my father took from you, I promise you he didn¡¯t. There¡¯s a truce between our families. He wouldn¡¯t break that.¡± I have no idea if I¡¯m spewing lies or hope. Other than what I¡¯ve overheard over the years, I know nothing of my father¡¯s true business dealings. As the youngest-and a girl-my father and brothers sheltered me from their work.


    ¡°Your father didn¡¯t, you¡¯re right. But your brother, Dominik, did.¡± He nces at the cot. The sheets are wrinkled but otherwise undisturbed. ¡°You haven¡¯t been sleeping.¡±


    ¡°Let me call Dominik or my father. They¡¯ll sort this out,¡± I offer.


    His left eyebrow arches. ¡°Do you really think that¡¯s going to happen?¡±


    My shoulders drop. Of course it won¡¯t.


    ¡°They don¡¯t know where I am.¡±


    I had parked on a street with little pedestrian traffic. The odds that anyone saw what happened are slim. The odds that anyone would tell are even smaller. The Ivanovs aren¡¯t known for their generosity.


    ¡°Not yet. The video is being sent to him now.¡± He points to the camera in the corner. ¡°We¡¯ll see what the next step after that is.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t let you sell me,¡± I insist. He can¡¯t. My father may be many things, but he would never let them do such a thing to me. Not for any reason.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Micah shrugs then moves toward me. Already pressed against the wall, I have no escape. He picks up a long lock of my hair and rubs it between his two fingers. ¡°There may be other options.¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°There will be a war between our families. And my father will bring his allies to his aid,¡± I school him.


    His lips twist up into a satanic grin. ¡°How many Pks do you think he can gather?¡±


    My body stiffens at the insult.


    ¡°Enough to end your family,¡± I say, finding my strength again. I won¡¯t allow this asshole to look down on my family, on my people.


    ¡°You think so? You think your father will go to war over one girl?¡±


    ¡°I am his daughter.¡± I lock gazes with him. He will not own me in this moment. I will not stand down to this Russian prick.


    ¡°True. But will the other families care once they find out the truce was broken by your brother and not my family?¡± He drops my hair and leans toward me. His warm breath rushes over my cheeks. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll care about poor little Lena wasting away in the Ivanov stable?¡±


    ¡°Fuck you.¡± My insides rattle.


    His eyes narrow, and he shakes his head. ¡°We¡¯ll have to work on your attitude before the auction.¡±


    I mp my mouth shut. Nothing I say will help my situation. He didn¡¯te down here to talk with me; he¡¯s here to toy with me.


    ¡°I suggest you get some sleep, Lena. While you can.¡± He runs the back of his knuckles over my cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll be back tomorrow.¡±


    An icy tremor skates down my spine when he pulls back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have food sent.¡± He winks, then leaves me standing against the wall trembling.


    Food? I won¡¯t eat it. I won¡¯t drink anything they send. And I won¡¯t sleep to give them an opportunity to mess with me. I will remain vignt and find a way out of this mess.


    I am a Staszek, and we don¡¯t give in to Russian scum.

 34

    Micah


    The girl has more grit to her than I would have given her credit for.


    After giving the guards instructions to bring her a real meal, I went home. The stables leave a film on me that will take more than a shower to wash away. Igor built the bunker where the girls are kept. One of my father¡¯s prouder moments of my older brother.


    It¡¯s going to be the first thing I destroy when my father hands the family over to me. But until that time, it remains and I do the only option open to me-nothing.


    It¡¯s seven o¡¯clock in the morning when my father rings me. ¡°Staszek wants a meeting.¡±


    I stand at my bedroom window, sweat from my run already drying on my skin, and look down at the busy pedestrians rushing to work below. The penthouse condo where I live is far enough off the ground, city sounds don¡¯t rise up to me.


    ¡°How did you answer?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll be here tonight. Him and that fucking son of his.¡±


    ¡°Do we know Dominik intervened knowing the shipment was on its way to our holdings in Moscow?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± he scoffs over the phone. It does to me, but I¡¯m the reasonable one in our family. I¡¯m the one who looks at the entire situation. Unlike him, I don¡¯t chase after immediate gratification with blinders on for the future.


    ¡°If we are going to file a grievance, I think we should know everything first.¡± I dance at the edge of being helpful and lecturing. Igor would jump on this wagon with him, guns zing ready to fight.


    ¡°Either way, the shipment was taken by the Staszek family. And for that, they lose their precious cargo.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really going to sell that?¡± I raise my eyebrows.


    ¡°Of course I am. Or I can get rid of it? Which do you think would hurt them more?¡± He¡¯s like a wolf salivating over a fresh kill.


    He doesn¡¯t need to borate, and it¡¯s best he not. Our phones are checked constantly, but they can still be tapped. People could be listening.


    I shouldn¡¯t be hesitant. I shouldn¡¯t give a shit what happens to the Staszek girl.


    ¡°How much do you want to hurt them?¡± I turn away from my window and the bustle of life happening outside it. In another life I thought I¡¯d be one of them. Running down the street, briefcase in hand, chasing after one deal or another. I¡¯m still a businessman, but there¡¯s not much chasing happening. Deals are brokered differently in my world.


    ¡°This is more than a theft,¡± my father says.


    ¡°It¡¯s about disrespect.¡± I sum up the lecture for him before he can get started. I have shit to do and this call is taking up too much of my morning. ¡°Where¡¯s the meeting?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the location to youter this morning.¡±


    ¡°If the product is going to be shown, it will need some spit and polish first, I think.¡±


    My father disagrees. ¡°Let them see what bes of it when it stays in our possession.¡±


    His aim isn¡¯t to simply prance the girl around her family, but to enrage them. A war is going to erupt the moment that girl shows up dirty from the cell we¡¯ve kept her in. I know how my family would react to such a disy, and the Staszek family isn¡¯t so different than my own.


    ¡°If they see a damaged product, the meeting might turn hostile.¡±


    ¡°Good reason to be well prepared then. I¡¯ll send you the details. I expect you there, Micah.¡± As his second inmand, I would be nowhere else.


    ¡°Of course.¡± I make my way to the bathroom. I need a shower and a change of clothes. ¡°I¡¯ll be there.¡±


    ¡°Good. I can count on you. I know it.¡± Does he though? There¡¯s a bit of hesitation in his tone, the same he¡¯s had ever since Igor¡¯s death.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see youter.¡± I wait for him to hang up before I drop my phone on the counter and strip out of my clothes.


    * * *


    The house is quiet when I arrive at my father¡¯s house. By the heavy scent in the air, I¡¯ve missed dinner. As I pass the dining room, I peek to be sure. It¡¯s empty, save for the kitchen staff clearing away the leftover food.


    ¡°Micah.¡± Katarina, the housekeeper, smiles warmly when she notices my arrival. ¡°You missed dinner, but I can make you a te?¡± she offers.


    ¡°No, no, thank you,¡± I say, ncing down the hall. ¡°Is my father in his office?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s expecting you.¡±


    ¡°There are other mening too.¡± I nce at the ornamental clock hanging on the wall above the buffet. ¡°Soon.¡±


    ¡°Yes. When they arrive, I¡¯ll bring them straight to the office.¡± She averts her eyes for a moment. ¡°And then, I¡¯ll be going home for the evening.¡±


    Katarina has worked for my family for as long as I can remember. She has no illusions about her job, about who she works for, but still escorting dangerous men to secret meetings puts her ill at ease. Even so, she¡¯s never hinted at leaving her post.


    ¡°Sounds good, Katarina.¡± I start to walk off then pause. ¡°Do you think you could wrap up a te for me?¡±


    I haven¡¯t gotten around to hiring a full staff, and whatever my housekeeper has made will most likely be as inedible as the other meals she¡¯s made. Katarina¡¯s cooking is home to me.


    She smiles, a light flickers in her eyes. ¡°Of course.¡±


    I give her a curt nod, then leave her to her work and head to my father¡¯s office.


    Two soldiers stand outside his office and step aside as I pass them and go inside. Niko paces the room, probably contemting my father¡¯s rage when he finds out what I¡¯ve done.


    ¡°Micah. Good.¡± My father checks his watch. ¡°They should be here any minute.¡± He turns to Niko. ¡°I want the girl ready to be brought in, I don¡¯t want to have to wait.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s ready. Just down the hall. I¡¯ll get her myself when you¡¯re ready.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    He¡¯s satisfied for the moment. ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°I want to talk to you about this n before they get here.¡± I move to the bar in the corner of the room and pour myself a drink.


    ¡°What n? We dangle the bitch in front of their faces.¡±


    Since my back is to him and he can¡¯t see me, I close my eyes and take a moment for my patience to fill. My father has carried the burden of keeping the Ivanov family at the top of the heap for so long, he¡¯s forgotten how hard he had to fight to get us here. Arrogance is a sure way to lose everything. And he¡¯s forgotten.


    ¡°And then what?¡± I turn on my heel and walk back to the desk, cradling the drink in my right hand. ¡°They see her, get pissed, and then we have a pissing contest? What do you want from them? What can they offer that will make the truce valid again?¡±


    His eyes narrow; wrinkles form around his eyes. ¡°Truce? I don¡¯t want a fucking truce. I want their territory. We make good money on the girls, but if we cut into their drug trade, we¡¯d double our money.¡±


    ¡°Those territory lines were drawn long ago,¡± I remind him.


    ¡°And if they want their precious daughter to avoid the auction block, they¡¯ll redraw them,¡± he spouts at me.


    It won¡¯t be hard. From what my sources have told me, Joseph Staszek dotes on his daughter like royalty. She¡¯s been spoiled her entire life, needing to only nce in the direction of a bauble before her father has purchased it and handed it to her with big fucking bow on top. If my father asks for a few more blocks of the city, Joseph Staszek will give it.


    ¡°You¡¯ll take more territory and hand the girl back over to them.¡± I swirl the drink in my ss.


    He looks to Niko then back at me. ¡°She¡¯s precious to Joseph. He¡¯ll give up arge portion for her. Or he won¡¯t get her back.¡± He shrugs like it doesn¡¯t matter to him which way it turns out. Like keeping her won¡¯t cause a war between our families that will drag out and kill our men.


    ¡°You kidnapped his daughter.¡± I emphasize the reality, but he continues to look at me with his eyebrows drawn together. ¡°He will want retribution for that.¡±


    Roman throws his hand in the air. ¡°His fucking son stole my product! And I learned today, the train yard has been taken out of our control. We will need to find another way to move the girls. A more expensive way.¡±


    I sip my drink, letting the burn of the alcohol rece the sense of dread crawling up my chest. If they¡¯ve cut us off from transportation, it¡¯s going to take more than a few blocks of territory to appease Roman.


    A knock on the door cuts me off before I can speak. One of the soldiers¡¯ head peeks in.


    ¡°Sir. Staszek is here.¡±


    ¡°Did you search him?¡± my father asks loudly, more for Joseph¡¯s sake than his own.


    ¡°Both are clean.¡± The soldier nods.


    ¡°Let them in.¡± My father gets out of his chair and leans forward with his knuckled fists on the desk.


    I ce my ss on the desk and move to stand beside my father. Niko rounds the desk and nks him on the other side. United, we wait for the Staszeks toe im what they believe to be theirs.


    But I know how this will y out.


    Lena Staszek won¡¯t be going home with her family tonight.

 35

    Lena


    Leaning against an armchair, I suck in a deep breath. I close my eyes, count to three, breathe out slow. Repeat.


    It¡¯s not working. My nerves shake, my stomach clenches, and my lungs aren¡¯t cooperating.


    No one will tell me what was happening, or where I¡¯ve been moved. A man came into my cell hours ago and pulled me from the underground bunker. He dragged me up into the bright sunlit afternoon, only to shove me into a car after yanking a cloth bag over my head. Did he think I would memorize my way back home?


    The drive had been short, or at least it felt that way, and then I was dragged from the car and shoved into a house. I was allowed to shower, a rtively short reprieve. As soon as I was done, I was pulled this way and that until my hair was dried and brushed, fresh makeup applied to my face, and I was shoved into a short, tight-fitting ck cocktail dress.


    The neckline dips far between my breasts. I pull at it in an attempt to cover the swell of my breasts, but it¡¯s not helping.


    And now, I¡¯m waiting. For what? I have no fucking clue.


    I drag in another breath, do the breathing, calm my heart, get air in, get air out. It should calm me.


    It doesn¡¯t.


    I¡¯ve been in this room for over an hour. I¡¯m not entirely sure what day it is, but there¡¯s a clock on the wall in here so at least I know what time it is. My stomach growls, but I push the hunger pangs from my mind. If I were to eat right now, I doubt it would stay down.


    I grit my teeth. I am not this weak. I must be strong. No matter what these men want from me, I will not give it to them.


    Anticipation of the unknown drives my racing heart. Once I¡¯m in the thick of it, I¡¯ll regainposure. I¡¯ll be able to see the situation and find the way out. I just need to survive until whatever is about to happen actually does.


    The door opens, and a man steps in. I recognize him from earlier. He brought me to this room and told me to wait.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He waves his hand at me to follow him.


    ¡°Where?¡± I question him. For all I know, he¡¯s taking me to my execution. Or worse, an auction block.


    His shoulders drop. ¡°Juste. And when we get there, don¡¯t speak. Not a fucking word, do you understand?¡± He grabs hold of my elbow when I get close enough and tows me along the hallway.


    I¡¯m too busy watching where he¡¯s taking me to notice much about the house, other than a woman scurrying out of the hallway when we approach. Would she even help me if I cried out to her?


    He turns down another corridor and we walk down the long walkway to a closed door. Two more men stand guarding the door. I swallow back another question.


    ¡°Not a word,¡± he reminds me, then pushes the door open and shoves me forward ahead of him.


    ¡°Lena!¡± My father¡¯s voice yanks my attention. Relief floods me. He¡¯s here. Next to him, my oldest brother, Dominik. They¡¯vee for me.


    As I take a step in their direction, my escort grabs hold of my arm again and pulls me back. I try to yank free, but his nails dig into my skin.


    ¡°Let her go,¡± Dominik orders, but my escort doesn¡¯t seem to understand Dominik¡¯s not used to repeating himself. He pulls me further to the side, away from them.


    ¡°Now you¡¯ve seen her,¡± the man standing behind the desk says. His eyes widen just a fraction when his gaze sweeps over me, like he expected something or someone else.


    ¡°Lena, are you all right? Are you hurt?¡± my father asks, keeping his voice firm. His eyes bore into me, trying to find the truth in my gaze, but he must pretend that he¡¯s not panicking. He¡¯s not upset by his daughter standing in this office, a captive of a rival family.


    ¡°I¡¯m all right.¡± I yank my arm out of my escort¡¯s grip and fold my hands in front of myself. Everything is going to work out fine now. I just need to let Dominik and my father do what they do best.


    I raise my chin and settle in to listen to their conversation. They¡¯ll negotiate and I¡¯ll be home and in my bed in a matter of hours.


    My gaze settles on the other man in the room. The man who came into my cell yesterday to scare me. His dark re sends a shiver down my spine. His hands are in his pockets, his jaw set firm.


    I swallow, wetting my dry throat and tear my gaze from him. He¡¯s unsettling, but I¡¯ll be away from him soon enough.


    ¡°You are lucky she hasn¡¯t been mistreated.¡± Dominik¡¯s voice tears through my thoughts. Mistreated? I¡¯ve been pissing in a bucket but telling him that now will only stall progress.


    ¡°You can¡¯t think to keep her. I won¡¯t allow it.¡± My father fists his hand and shakes it. ¡°We have a fucking truce, Roman.¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Yes. We did.¡± Roman leans forward on his knuckles, his face red, eyes bulging. ¡°We fucking did and then you interrupted my shipment. Took my girls, and now have blocked my transport.¡±


    ¡°We had no way of knowing that shipment belonged to you,¡± Dominik argues.


    ¡°If you had, would you have left it alone?¡± Micah speaks, focusing his attention on my brother. ¡°If you had no problem taking over the shipment from your wife¡¯s own father, I have trouble believing you¡¯d have walked away once you became aware it belonged to us.¡±


    Dominik¡¯s jaw ticks.


    My father clears his throat, and a hot trail of anxiety runs through my veins. It¡¯s a signal.


    ¡°What¡¯s done is done. We weren¡¯t aware of your involvement. But we are now.¡± My father nces over at me; a sadness tints his eyes but is drowned out by stern resolve.


    My chest tightens. I¡¯m not part of this. None of this has anything to do with me, but I¡¯m going to bear the brunt of the consequences.


    You¡¯ll be a good girl and do what¡¯s expected of you.


    In a sh I recall my father¡¯s words. We¡¯d been talking about my future, or rather I¡¯d been trying to talk about it. He wouldn¡¯t engage, he merely made that one statement.


    You¡¯ll be a good girl and do what¡¯s expected of you, Lena.


    ¡°Let¡¯se to an agreement and put this mess behind us. We¡¯ve spent many years with peace, and both of our families have prospered. Let¡¯s not ruin that over one mishap.¡± My father¡¯s diplomacy isn¡¯t going to work. Roman Ivanov has a gleam in his eye that reeks of victory. My father is ready to make concessions, and Roman is going to strike.


    No sooner does my foot move forward than the guard grabs my elbow and pulls me back. I¡¯m to stand and watch but not participate. Have they all forgotten that it was me who was kidnapped? Drugged and stuffed in my own trunk?


    ¡°Your daughter is beautiful. I could probably get more for her on the market than the entire lot you took.¡± Roman keeps his steady gaze fixated on my father.


    Dominik shows no outward reaction, but I know my brother. He¡¯s only waiting for my father¡¯s signal and then he¡¯ll pounce. He won¡¯t allow this to happen to me. This is his fault. He put our family in this position.


    ¡°You would go to war over one fucking mistake?¡± My father¡¯s eyes narrow, his voice lowers. He¡¯s had enough talk.


    ¡°I would go to war over your family stealing from me. This truce has never brought both of us equal profits.¡±


    My father¡¯s nostrils re and he fists his hands at his sides. ¡°I¡¯m willing to repay your loss on the shipment. You¡¯ll have ess to the trains again, we can both use the train yard as a port, neither of us needs to choke out the other.¡±


    Roman runs his tongue over his top teeth from beneath his lip.


    A brush of heat floods my face, and when I look, I find Micah staring at me again. He doesn¡¯t bother pretending to consider my father¡¯s offer, not like Roman. Micah remains as confident and unmoving as before. It¡¯s like he already knows the oue of this meeting and doesn¡¯t feel the need to pay attention.


    ¡°And retribution for your daughter¡¯s stay with us?¡± Roman asks in a low tone.


    ¡°As long as she leaves with us tonight, there will be none,¡± my father decides.


    They will go unpunished. Nothing will happen to these men who abducted me and treated me like a scrap of garbage to be left in the cell underground.


    Because I¡¯m a woman and must do what¡¯s right for the entire family, not just for myself. My chest grows heavy beneath their words and the consequences of them.


    Roman taps his chin with his middle finger. ¡°I have another idea. She¡¯ll stay with us. One woman in exchange for the twenty you took.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I jerk free of the hold on my arm and step forward. ¡°I¡¯m not staying here. I won¡¯t let you sell me.¡± I turn to my father. ¡°Do something. You can¡¯t think to go along with this.¡± Desperation takes hold, making me sound like the spoiled brat outsiders believe me to be.


    We are in the Ivanov mansion. They could walk in and gun us all down. My father had to have known that; why would he agree to meeting here of all ces?


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you take her.¡± My father ignores me and speaks directly to Roman.


    ¡°No, of course not,¡± Roman agrees, leaning forward again. ¡°A marriage. Between your daughter and my son. As a way to seal our truce once more. Bring peace back.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I rush toward my father, but my guard grabs me again. One hard look from Dominik, and he lets me go. ¡°Absolutely not.¡±


    My father doesn¡¯t nce at me, doesn¡¯t acknowledge my words.


    ¡°Daddy,¡± I whisper. When I was a little girl, I would w at my father¡¯s pant leg to get his attention. I doubt it would work now. His concrete stare is fixated elsewhere. He¡¯s tuned me out.


    ¡°Give me a moment to talk to my daughter.¡±


    My heart drops.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about. I won¡¯t do it.¡± I turn toward Micah who has a hint of amusement tugging on his lips. ¡°I won¡¯t marry you. This is absurd. I have nothing to do with any of this.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll let you have the room for a few moments.¡± Micah¡¯s re turns from me to my father as he speaks.


    I¡¯m in a nightmare. No one understands what I¡¯m saying, they can¡¯t hear me, or they don¡¯t care. It¡¯s like I¡¯m not in the room. The air thickens and by the time the door closes behind the three Ivanov men, I¡¯m gasping for it.


    ¡°Lena, calm down,¡± my father chastises me softly. I take a shaky breath, trying to force the panic in my chest to ease off.


    ¡°I won¡¯t do this. How can you even think it?¡± I ask. ¡°They kidnapped me, threw me in a trunk, drugged me. Left me in a cold cell with a bucket for a bathroom and now you want me to marry one of them?¡± I¡¯ve never learned how to keep the tremor from my voice.


    ¡°Lena.¡± Dominik¡¯s hard voice grabs my attention. When I look up at him, I see the remorse in his eyes. He¡¯s going along with this crazy idea. ¡°It will bring peace. Many of Garska¡¯s men have fled the city. Only a few of them joined us. We were able to get the charges dropped against Dad, but we¡¯re still being watched. If the Ivanov family attack, it¡¯s more dangerous for us to retaliate, to defend.¡±


    I know he¡¯s right, and Roman Ivanov knows it too. Why else would he offer such a thing?


    ¡°You knew, Lena, that one day you would marry for the good of the family. I¡¯ve never held that fact from you. Just like your brother did.¡± My father gestures toward Dominik.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of his marriage this is happening to me.¡± I turn my anger on my big brother. ¡°You couldn¡¯t tell your wife no? You couldn¡¯t take one fucking minute to realize what could happen by stopping that shipment?¡±


    Dominik¡¯s eyes darken. I¡¯m standing on the line; one more word and I¡¯ll be over it. But I don¡¯t care.


    ¡°Give them Kasia. She¡¯s the one who fucked up their shipment. Give them her.¡±


    ¡°How can you say such a thing?¡± My father¡¯s admonishment hits me in the chest. He¡¯d protect Dominik¡¯s wife over me? I¡¯m his daughter. I¡¯m the one who was dragged to Pnd while he was waiting out his legal trouble here in Chicago.


    ¡°How can you consider making me marry that man!¡± Tears burn my eyes. I¡¯m climbing uphill in stilettos with a fifty-pound rucksack. This is not a battle I¡¯m going to win. Not when my own family sides with the enemy.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard things about Micah.¡± My father switches to Polish. These walls have ears and up until now, he hasn¡¯t said anything worth hearing. ¡°He¡¯s not as stupid as his father. He sees everything and makes calcted decisions.¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± I don¡¯t care how well he manages his family. It¡¯s my life I¡¯m struggling to save here, and I¡¯m losing my grip on it.


    ¡°When he gains full power in his family, you¡¯ll be married to the head of the Ivanov family. As much as I hate the fucking Russian pricks, there is strength in that. You will be protected. Our family will be protected. If we don¡¯t do this, it will be a war. And you¡¯ll be a target.¡±


    My insides shake. He¡¯s not only allowing this, he sees opportunity within this deal. At handing me over to the monsters.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me do this.¡± I lower my gaze, unable to stand another moment of my brother or my father looking at me. All the years they pretended I was precious to them, loved and cared for, it was all bullshit.


    It was all an act.


    They tended to me as if to fatten themb before bringing it to ughter.


    The door opens and the Ivanov men are back, blocking the doorway.


    ¡°Your answer,¡± Roman demands.


    A hot tear rolls down my cheek, and I turn away, so the Ivanov scum don¡¯t have a chance to enjoy it.


    My father grasps my hands, squeezing gently as if to give me some of his strength.


    ¡°A marriage between our families is agreed.¡± He drops my hands, and I take a shuddering breath.


    In a heartbeat my entire future is whisked away beyond my grasp.

 36

    Micah


    Color drains from Lena¡¯s cheeks as she sits quietly between her brother and her father while the details of the deal are worked out. She doesn¡¯t raise her gaze from the edge of my father¡¯s desk. My father will see this as a sign of obedience. A woman who knows her ce among men, silent and waiting for direction.


    Her thumbnail jams beneath the manicured nail of her opposite hand. She drags it beneath each nail until she gets to the pinky, and then starts again with her thumb. This isn¡¯t an obedient woman; this is a woman biding her time. How many ways has she killed us in her mind?


    ¡°We¡¯ll bring her home tonight-¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I push off the edge of the desk where I¡¯m leaning. ¡°I think it¡¯s safer for her to stay with me.¡± I level Joseph Staszek with a re, daring him to deny me. Dominik can bluster all he wants, he¡¯s in the same position as me. Until his father relinquishes full control, he will have to follow orders-same as me.


    ¡°The wedding. When will it take ce?¡± Joseph asks, turning his gaze back to my father, dismissing me.


    ¡°Sooner the better,¡± my father says with a shrug. ¡°A week.¡±


    ¡°A week?¡± Lena¡¯s eyes dart up to my father, her eyebrows rise beneath her trimmed bangs.


    ¡°A week,¡± my father says with more confidence. Her unease fuels him. She should learn from that if she¡¯s to survive my family.


    Wife or not, she will be expected to behave a certain way.


    Wife. My mind still hasn¡¯t absorbed the concept. Roman gave me no indication he had even considered the possibility. While we stepped into the next room for the Staszek men to reel Lena into cooperating, he gave me no exnation. I didn¡¯t need one. Marriage to her or marriage to any other woman was the same to me.


    Men in my position don¡¯t search out love. We sure as hell don¡¯t date. If I wanted thepany of a woman, I had plenty to choose from, but they weren¡¯t long arrangements. I never made promises, and they never held expectations from a man like me.


    But looking at Lena when her father made the agreement, seeing the hope drain from her eyes lit a fire beneath my skin. Maybe she didn¡¯t understand her position. Daughter to a mob boss, Polish or not, would be expected to marry at the advantage of her father if necessary. And after what her brother pulled, it became necessary.


    The meeting finally ends past eleven o¡¯clock. Lena sits in the same chair, her shoulders bowed forward. I wonder if she¡¯s slept at all while down in the stables. I had told her to get rest, but I doubt she would have given my orders any weight.


    ¡°Niko, take Lena to the car. I¡¯ll be there soon.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡± Lena leaps to her feet, searching out her father for protection that he¡¯s not going to offer. Instead, he slowly mps his mouth closed and gives her a curt nod.


    ¡°I¡¯lle to see you, Dominik and Jakub, too,¡± he says to her in Polish. They don¡¯t think I speak theirnguage, and I won¡¯t let on that I do yet.


    Dominik looks at her. This is his fault, and by the tinge of darkness in his eyes he knows it. ¡°I can bring Kasia if you¡¯d like.¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    At this, her jaw clenches and a sharp redness covers her cheeks. ¡°Don¡¯t bring that woman near me.¡± She turns on her heel, marching past Niko and through the office door without another word. I won¡¯t take offense that she didn¡¯t bother to look my way before departing, but I will exin manners to herter on.


    The click of her heels on the marble flooring in the hallway fades as Niko leads her from the house. Dominik steps up to me as his father and mine say their goodbyes. He scans me with a hot re I¡¯m sure has more to do with him being her oldest brother than his distaste for me.


    ¡°If you hurt her-¡± The threat dies in the air between us. Yes, this is the big brother protecting his little sister. I¡¯ll let him bang his chest for now. I¡¯m feeling generous.


    ¡°No more than I have to,¡± I say with a wink, and his jaw clenches. He gets my meaning. ¡°You worry too much, Staszek. We¡¯ve just created peace. Why would I do anything to fuck that up? It¡¯s a good thing. Only a fool would y around with such a deal.¡±


    Myment hits the mark, and his eyes narrow. I pick up my ss from the desk where it¡¯s sat throughout the meeting, and down thest bit while keeping my gaze locked on his.


    ¡°Dominik. Let¡¯s go,¡± Joseph barks at his son and shuffles toward the exit. Dominik¡¯s jaw ticks. He¡¯s fighting back words that will make matters worse.


    With another nce at my father, Dominik follows his father from the room, mming the door behind them hard enough the door shakes.


    ¡°Well,¡± my father groans as he sits back in his chair. The arthritis in his knees hurts him by the end of the day, and with all the tension of thest few hours, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be sore throughout the night. ¡°That went better than I thought.¡± He rubs his chin. ¡°I should have thought of marriage before.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you could have run it past me first, then.¡± I bring my empty ss back to the bar and pour two more fingers of vodka.


    ¡°Why? You do what¡¯s best for the family.¡±


    He¡¯s not wrong. ¡°Still. Some warning would have been appreciated,¡± I say then shoot back the liquor. The heat crawling down my throat and spreading through my chest is weed after the tension of the night.


    ¡°You let that girl shower and put her in a nice dress. You even had someonee in to do her hair and put that awful makeup on her, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡± I slide my hands into my pockets. ¡°Do you think Joseph would have been so easy to maneuver if he was raging over the treatment of his little girl? Boss or not, she is his daughter and any disrespect you showed her would have made this meeting more dangerous. For all of us.¡±


    He stares at me for a long moment then pinches his lips together and concedes the point. ¡°You¡¯re right. It went better this way. Good call, Micah.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your angle with this marriage?¡± A day ago he wanted this girl sold to the highest bidder, even contemting killing her to hurt the Staszeks. Now he wants to fold her into our family?


    ¡°Angle?¡± Heughs. ¡°You saw Joseph. It was killing him to see her in my office. Under my control. He knows this is his fault and, in a war, he¡¯d lose more than he¡¯d win. He broke the truce, by ident yes, but still his fault. He has to make it right. Now, he¡¯ll pay for the girls he stole, and we get to keep his daughter. Parade her around as one of our own. Fill her belly with our family genes. What better humiliation is there than that?¡±


    ¡°And the girl?¡± I ask, sure I know the answer.


    ¡°Who cares. She¡¯ll do what she¡¯s told.¡± He points a finger at me. ¡°I expect you to keep her in line. She may take your name and give you children, but she¡¯s still a Staszek whore.¡±


    The picture bes clearer now. For once my father has thought ahead. He¡¯s not looking to make a truce; he¡¯s looking to embarrass the Staszek family. To provoke them.


    ¡°Any abuse of her will give them cause to break the truce, and it will be our doing,¡± I remind him.


    He waves a hand through the air. ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting you beat the woman. But you make her understand her ce in this family. She¡¯ll do what she¡¯s told. She won¡¯t cause trouble, and she¡¯ll give you sons.¡±


    I put the empty ss on the desk. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    ¡°I know you will,¡± he says, but I don¡¯t miss the clear warning in his voice. If I don¡¯t handle this the way he wants, he¡¯ll be sure to take care of things himself.


    I leave him in his office without another word. He¡¯s already made it clear what he wants. Anything from me that doesn¡¯t support him will insult him.


    When I step out onto the front porch, I see my car idling a short distance on the driveway. Niko is in the front seat, and my fiancee is sitting in the back, staring out the other side into the darkness.


    I wonder if she understands her luck. Any other turn of events and she¡¯d be heading back to the stables.


    Instead, she¡¯s being taken home with me.


    Lucky girl.

 37

    Lena


    I¡¯m lucky on the drive from Roman¡¯s house. Micah sits up front with his henchmen and doesn¡¯t try to talk to me.


    The silence gives me a chance to consider my options. Running away would mean staying on the run and not speaking to my family again. At least for a lengthy period of time. They would deserve it, my father and my brothers. Though maybe I can¡¯t fault Jakub. Or maybe I can. He didn¡¯t exactly barge into the meeting to help me.


    The darkness of the night sky doesn¡¯t stop the city lights from illuminating our way down Michigan Avenue. Roman Ivanov lives in an estate, protected by steel gates. My fiance likes the city apparently.


    The SUV pulls into a parking garage and the bright lights wash over the car as we drive up the ramp to a private spot. My car door is opened for me and I scoot out, ignoring the hand being offered. Micah cups my elbow and pulls me toward the elevators.


    He still hasn¡¯t spoken a word to me. When we approach the elevator, he jams his finger into the call button then turns to Niko.


    They have a rapid conversation in Russian. I know a few words, but they speak too quickly for me to catch them all in the right order. When they¡¯re done, Niko goes back to the SUV, leaving us alone as the elevator doors slide open.


    This is it. If I step into this little box, I¡¯ll never be allowed out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be difficult, Lena.¡± He steps into the elevator, turns and faces me. There¡¯s a daring in his eyes, like he almost hopes I give him trouble.


    I force my gaze to meet his, taking in his dark eyes, and step into the elevator with him. I catch a whiff of his aftershave when he reaches around me to hit the buttons on the panel in front of me. It¡¯s a warm scent, spicy.


    He presses the penthouse button then puts in his code and the elevator doors ease closed. We¡¯re trapped in this little box together. Alone.


    ¡°You did good tonight,¡± he says from behind me. I raise my eyes to the lights checking off the floors overhead and say nothing.


    Did good. I¡¯ve gone from one prison to another, how is that progress?


    Little hairs on the back of my neck tingle as they rise. I won¡¯t look, I won¡¯t give him the satisfaction of ncing over my shoulder at him. I tten my hands against my stomach, pulling each breath in through my nose and releasing it through my mouth. No matter how many breaths I take, I can¡¯t shake off his stare from behind me.


    I must look such a fool to him. A girl easily stolen from the street. A daughterpletely dispensable to her family.


    The elevator dings, signaling we¡¯ve arrived at the top floor of the high-rise, but the doors don¡¯t open. Before I can hit the open-door button, Micah reaches around me again. His chin brushes against my shoulder as he punches in another code. The red shing light above the panel turns green and the doors slide open, revealing the penthouse waiting for us.


    ¡°Is that really safe?¡± I ask, stepping off the elevator into the pristine foyer. White and gray marble flooring spreads out across the round foyer and drifts off down the long corridor. A round mahogany table sits in the middle of the entrance way with arge crystal vase filled with a colorful flower arrangement. A simple chandelier of white iron and candle-shaped lights dangles over the arrangement.


    ¡°No one can enter without the code.¡± He waits for the elevator to close and puts in another code into the keypad on the inside of the penthouse. ¡°And now, no one can leave without it.¡±


    An opportunity missed; I should have watched him punching in the numbers.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± he says and takes off down the corridor in front of us. There are hallways leading off the foyer to the right and left as well, but I follow him instead of exploring on my own. His leather-soled shoes p against the flooring between the clicks my heels make as I follow him.


    ¡°Living room to the right, family room to the left.¡± He points toward the rooms as we pass them. I only have time for a quick nce. A magazine could be shot here, the decor is so crisp and modern.


    ¡°That¡¯s the dining room.¡± He gestures toward his right then nods to the left. ¡°The guest bedroom.¡±


    The wide hallway acts as the vein of the residence with the room being offshoots. Micah takes a sharp turn down a hallway on his right, and I stumble in my footing to keep up with him.


    ¡°It¡¯ste,¡± I say. ¡°I think I¡¯d like to just go to bed.¡±


    He makes another turn after we pass a closed door and I have to hurry to keep up with him, smacking right into his back. He¡¯s a solid wall; doesn¡¯t move a fraction. I grab hold of his suit jacket to keep from tumbling down.


    ¡°Whoa.¡± He turns, grabbing my hands and helping me get on solid footing. ¡°Careful.¡±


    I look at my hands, engulfed by hisrger ones. If he were to squeeze hard enough, he could break my bones easily. And there would be no one to stop him.


    Yanking my hands from his grip, I take a small step back.


    ¡°You¡¯ll eat something, then I¡¯ll take you to your room.¡± He nces over me. ¡°You didn¡¯t eat when I told you to before.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t hungry.¡± I raise my chin with my lie. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep it down if I had tried to eat anything. Being held captive by a sex trade family works against proper digestion.


    He studies me for a long minute, like he¡¯s waiting for me to confess some big sin.


    ¡°I¡¯m not all that hungry now either,¡± I add.


    ¡°You can manage a sandwich.¡± He moves to the refrigerator and points to the barstools on the other side of a kitchen ind. The kitchen could double as a gourmet chef¡¯s yground.


    I ease myself onto a barstool and tuck my hair behind my ears. It¡¯s been a long day, a longer evening, and my nerves have endured all they can for one day. A ss of red wine and a hot bath would help, but I won¡¯t ask. I¡¯ll simply take what he gives and when he shows me to my room, I¡¯ll sink into the bed and pray for sleep to consume me. Maybe when I wake up this will all have been a really weird dream.


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t anyone ever told you toy low with your money?¡± I ask while he digs around the fridge. He turns back to me with a container of sliced ham and a plump red tomato. ¡°This ce is, well, amazing but doesn¡¯t it worry you? Won¡¯t it bring attention?¡±


    He grabs a te from the cab and begins putting together a sandwich.


    ¡°No,¡± he answers after he¡¯s carefully ced the second slice of bread on the sandwich and slices it in half from corner to corner.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he says again and pushes the small te across the countertop. ¡°Eat.¡±


    I pick up one half of the sandwich and take arge bite. Turns out I¡¯m famished and finish the entire sandwich while he watches me take every bite.


    ¡°That was good,¡± I say, wiping my mouth with the napkin he hands me.


    ¡°Delphia is my housekeeper. She says she smoked the ham herself, but I think she gets it from a farmer out in the west suburbs where her family lives.¡± He takes the te from me and ces it in the deep stainless-steel sink.


    When he turns back to me, he presses his ass and his hands against the sink edge. He¡¯s taken off his suit jacket and tossed it on one of the barstools and loosened his tie. In this position he looks almost civil.


    I jerk my gaze away from him. It¡¯s easier when he doesn¡¯t look so casual.


    ¡°You can walk away from this, you know,¡± I say, keeping my eyes away from his. If I look into the darkness of his gaze, he¡¯ll suck me in. I can feel it inside me, how easily I can get lost there.


    He¡¯s an Ivanov. A man I¡¯m being forced to marry, I can¡¯t afford to lose myself to attraction. No matter how strong. I have to stay on my toes. Look for an angle that will wake me from this nightmare.


    ¡°I could,¡± he agrees with me. ¡°But I think both of our fathers would take issue with that.¡±


    I roll my eyes and drop one foot to the floor. ¡°Not a man of his own will then. I see.¡±


    Heughs at my attempt to insult his manhood. ¡°I¡¯m as tied to my family as you are to yours. There¡¯s no shame in that. There¡¯s honor in doing your duty by your family. To being loyal.¡±


    I flick a quick nce at him. ¡°And was it loyal when my father bartered me away for peace?¡± There¡¯s a bite to my words that I can¡¯t hide.


    ¡°Your father does what¡¯s best for the whole family.¡± His answer doesn¡¯t really answer me. Did I really expect anything else?


    I slip from the stool. ¡°I¡¯d like to go to bed now.¡± I put my finger up in the air. ¡°Alone.¡±


    He lifts his left eyebrow. ¡°And you think you have that right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not married to you yet.¡±


    ¡°No, but you¡¯re still mine, Lena. Make no mistake about that. I don¡¯t need a priest to make that happen. Our fathers¡¯ agreement already did.¡±


    My stomach twists. He¡¯s right. The priest blessing our union is pure theatrics. As far as the families are concerned, we¡¯re together. I¡¯m his.


    ¡°But I have a phone call to make. I¡¯ll take you to your room.¡± He grabs his jacket from the stool where he deposited it and leads me from the kitchen. We backtrack down the small hallway to the mainrger corridor and after another turn or two, we¡¯re in front of a closed door. ¡°Here you are.¡±


    ¡°My own room?¡± I rify. The edges of his lips twitch. Does my uncertainty amuse him? Of course it does. Just because he hasn¡¯t hurt me yet, and just because he made me a sandwich doesn¡¯t make him any less of an Ivanov.


    ¡°For now. Once the wedding takes ce, you¡¯ll move into my room.¡± He gestures with his chin at the door at the end of the hall. It faces the hall, as though holding power over the other rooms.


    I reach for the door handle, but his hand wraps around mine, stopping me. Warmth skyrockets up my arm at his touch.


    ¡°Lena,¡± he says, cupping my chin with his free hand and drawing my face toward him. ¡°I know this isn¡¯t what you want but understand there is no way out of it. If you try to run away, if you try to wiggle free of this agreement, there will be trouble. Not just between our families, but between you and me.¡±


    ¡°Trouble between you and me?¡± I narrow my eyes. ¡°You arrogant prick.¡±


    His lips spread into an amused grin. ¡°There¡¯s the fire I saw before.¡± He pinches my chin harder. ¡°I find it refreshing, but don¡¯t mistake that for tolerance. You¡¯ll be a good wife. An obedient wife, or you¡¯ll face the consequences.¡±


    He lets go of my chin and reaches behind me, patting my ass.


    I shuffle away from him,prehending what he means.


    ¡°My father may allow this marriage, but he will never forgive you abusing me.¡± My voice shakes, but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s from exhaustion of the day, the fear of his threat, or because there¡¯s an electric current running straight to my pussy from his meaning.


    ¡°I won¡¯t abuse you, Lena.¡± He lets me go, pushes the bedroom door open, and flicks a light on for me. ¡°But I will not tolerate disobedience from my wife. Children misbehave, and if that¡¯s how you behave, that¡¯s how you¡¯ll be treated.¡± He brushes my hair away from my shoulders. ¡°Now, off to bed, little Lena. I have calls to make.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t even wait for me to speak or to move, he simply walks off back down the hall toward the front foyer and disappears down another hallway. As straightforward as this ce seemed at the beginning, I doubt I¡¯d be able to find him easily now if I needed to.


    ¡°Bed, Lena!¡± His voice carries easily down the long corridor to me. I fist my hands; the urge to scream back at him pulls on me. But in the end, I barge into the room and m the door behind me.

 38

    Micah


    I¡¯ve never been much of a believer in breakfast being the most important meal of the day. But today¡¯s different. Today, it¡¯s important for other reasons besides nutrition.


    Lena¡¯s awake and pacing around the guest room I put her inst night, but she hasn¡¯t stepped one toe outside it. I turn off the surveince footage on my phone and decide to hurry her along. If she thinks she can spend the rest of our lives together hiding, she has more than a little eye opening to do.


    The door¡¯s locked when I try to open it. I have the key in my nightstand, but there¡¯s no need to show all the cards in my hand at one time. I lightly rap my knuckles on the door and wait.


    ¡°Lena.¡± I press my hands against the door frame and stare at the door as though if I stare hard enough, I¡¯ll be able to make out her form on the other side. And it is a delectable form. I may have been busy keeping up with the deal makingst night, but I had plenty of opportunity to take in her generous curves. The woman would have earned my father an excruciatinglyrge profit on the market. She has no idea how lucky she is to have been given to me instead.


    ¡°Lena, open this door,¡± I call. There¡¯s some shuffling, but nothing else. ¡°If I have to break it down, there¡¯s going to be a problem. And you don¡¯t want a problem with me this early in the morning.¡± Or any time of day, but she¡¯ll have to learn this the hard way. I¡¯m not an easy man, and no matter her age, I will take her over my knee if she gives me trouble. She¡¯s mine now. Mine to y with and mine to punish.


    The door yanks open and she¡¯s there, standing right in front of me with her hair a mess from sleeping, and her eyes narrowed on me.


    ¡°Is that how everything gets resolved with you? Violence?¡± She holds the door against her body. Does she really believe she can keep me out of the room?


    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen violence yet,¡± I remind her.


    She pinches her lips together and a cherry blush rises to her cheeks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want this door locked again.¡± I push off the door frame. ¡°Do you understand me?¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you afraid I¡¯ll have big parties in here and you won¡¯t be invited?¡± Thick sarcasm drips from her words.


    Men twice her size would think again before using such a tone with me. Obviously, she¡¯s been sheltered-spoiled.


    I shove the door out of her hand and advance on her. Every step I take forward, she takes one backward until I have her pressed against the dresser on the opposite wall. Her hands fly back to steady herself but being trapped only seems to infuriate her more. Steam would rise from her body if it were possible.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of anything. This is my house, princess. And you¡¯ll follow my rules here. You are never to lock yourself behind a door. Ever.¡± I lean forward, covering her hands with my own. The edge of the dresser has to be cutting into her palms, but she keeps a steady expression.


    ¡°Whatever. Fine.¡± She pulls her hands out from beneath me, but I don¡¯t move. She¡¯s nicely caged, and I¡¯m keeping her that way until we have a little talk.


    ¡°Yes, sir would be more appropriate, but we¡¯ll get to thatter.¡±


    Anger shes in her silver blue eyes, but something else happens, too. Her pupils expand, her lips part slightly. If I trail my fingertips along the soft skin of her throat, will she tremble out of arousal or from fear? Either will do, but my gut tells me she¡¯s already making her panties wet from our brief interaction.


    ¡°There¡¯s breakfast in the kitchen. You need toe eat.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± She has to lean away from me in order to raise her defiant chin, but she manages without bumping into me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask if you were. I said you need to eat, and you will.¡± I inhale the sweet smell of her shampoo. She¡¯s not as tall as me, not by any stretch of measurement. Her heades up to just below my chin. I could tuck her in perfectly beneath me like a puzzle piece snugly in ce.


    A small part of me likes this idea, her fitting right into my body, folding her in ce with me. Her tongue runs along her bottom lip and another part of me likes that even better. I move my position away enough, so she won¡¯t feel my cock getting hard for her. Women use seduction as a weapon. I¡¯m not easily fooled by it, but I won¡¯t have her embarrassing us both by attempting to wield her sexuality against me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any clothes.¡± She captures my gaze, not giving me an inch. What she doesn¡¯t give, I¡¯ll take.


    ¡°You¡¯re wearing clothes now.¡± I slide my finger between the thin fabric of the strap and her shoulder, gliding along until I can feel the swell of her breast.


    Instead of smacking my hand away, like I expect, she moves up to her toes and tries to level our res. There¡¯s a fierce streak in her. It¡¯s a good sign. My father would crush her easily otherwise.


    ¡°It¡¯s not mine. And it¡¯s all I have here.¡±


    I let the strap snap back onto her shoulder and take a step back, leaning to my right and opening a drawer. There are clothes stashed inside.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°There are clothes here. And in the closet. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find something that fits.¡± I¡¯ve yet to have a woman have to make her walk of shame in the nude. But Lena¡¯s not one of those women. There is no ce for shame with her. She¡¯s to be my wife. She¡¯ll have the Ivanov name. Nothing but pride and confidence should touch her.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t mine. And I won¡¯t wear your whore¡¯s clothing.¡± She turns her nose up, taking the opportunity to slide away from me and move to the window.


    I shut the drawer and lean my hip against the dresser, folding my arms over my chest. How best to deal with this princess brat? She deserves a red ass, maybe some time with her nose pressed firmly into the corner to show her I won¡¯t tolerate disrespect.


    But it¡¯s our first day together, and in all fairness-not a word typically associated with me-she¡¯s been through an ordeal at the hands of both my father and hers.


    ¡°I will have your things brought over this afternoon. Your clothing anyway. If there¡¯s any sort of sentimental stuff you want, you¡¯ll have to go over to your father¡¯s house and get it yourself. I won¡¯t waste my men¡¯s time by picking through your things.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want their dirty hands on my belongings.¡± Her mouth scrunches up and for a moment, I think she¡¯s going to spit at me. But at thest second, she turns toward the window. The blinds are nted enough to let in the morning sun, but not give a clear view of the city below.


    ¡°Well, princess brat, I¡¯ll see if your father will pack your panties himself personally. Just for you,¡± I say to her back, enjoying the way her muscles tighten beneath her creamy skin. The back of the dress dips low, showing off her toned body.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. I¡¯m no princess and I¡¯m not a brat.¡± Her voice raises enough that I drop my hands and march to her.


    I grab her face with one hand and push her head back until I¡¯m ring down at her. She ps at my hand, but it won¡¯t do any good. Her nostrils re, probably in frustration that I have her and won¡¯t let go.


    ¡°Never raise your voice to me. You will talk with respect when you address me. Am I clear?¡±


    She stops smacking at my arms and drops her hands to her sides. It¡¯s the closest thing to an eptance I¡¯m going to get this morning. And time¡¯s running out. I have to get across town to a meeting. Beingte isn¡¯t something anyone wouldment on, but it¡¯s not something I tolerate even for myself.


    ¡°Good.¡± I release her. A red marking of my fingers lingers on her cheeks. ¡°Now. I have a meeting. Eat breakfast naked for all I care, but you will eat something. I¡¯ll be back around seven tonight. I expect you to be ready.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡± She frowns; maybe she heard the tiny tremor in her voice as clearly as I did. Showing weakness pisses her off. We¡¯re the same in that regard, but the difference is she¡¯s allowed her weakness. She has me to hide behind, to lean on.


    ¡°For dinner.¡±


    ¡°I need to dress special for dinner?¡± She tilts her head to the side, staring at me like she¡¯s trying to understand the meaning between my words.

 39

    ¡°We¡¯re going to my restaurant. My family will be there, so dress appropriate and be on time.¡± As I turn for the door, I notice the bed hasn¡¯t been slept in. The covers are all neatly in ce, not so much as a wrinkle.


    ¡°I slept on the chaise,¡± she tells me, catching my line of sight.


    ¡°Why?¡± Like everything else in my home, the bed is luxury. Sleeping on a cloud would be lessfortable than the bedding in this room.


    ¡°I fell asleep.¡± She shrugs.


    Niko¡¯s waiting for me; I don¡¯t have time for word games.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you fall asleep on the bed?¡± I slide my hands into my pockets and take a small step away from her, giving her some space to herself.


    She nces away. I don¡¯t think she wants to talk about it, which makes me even more interested.


    ¡°I was just sitting there for a few minutes thinking, the next thing I knew it was morning.¡± She blushes. As confessions go, this was about as incriminating as Mother Teresa snagging a biscuit for herself at the food line.


    ¡°What were you thinking about?¡±


    She raises her eyes to mine and for the first time, I see the slight puffiness around them. The woman hasn¡¯t slept well in days, and I¡¯m positive she¡¯s been crying recently. Why wouldn¡¯t she be, she¡¯d been kidnapped and now is being forced to marry into the family that stole her from the street.


    ¡°Nothing important.¡± She runs her hands up and down her arms.


    ¡°Nothing exciting either, I guess since it put you to sleep.¡±


    She rolls her eyes. A gesture that normally pisses me off, but she¡¯s reacting to myme attempt at levity, so I let it go. She¡¯s going to have a hard enough day ahead of her.


    ¡°Did my father¡¯s men hurt you when they took you?¡± I ask her, sensing a dark cloud lurking off in the shadows.


    She blinks then shakes her head. ¡°No, not really. I mean the drug they used made me sick, but other than that, I wasn¡¯t hurt.¡±


    I know what drug she means. A cocktail my brother, Igor, concocted years ago. It eventually renders the victim unconscious, but first it messes with their mind, makes them dizzy, gives them a headache as strong as a migraine. Some people be nauseated. The effects sometimes take days to fade.


    ¡°Are you still feeling ill?¡± I should have asked her these questions yesterday.


    ¡°No. The headache was gone when I woke up, I just had a little upset stomach. But I¡¯m fine now.¡± She pads over to the chaise, her bare feet making no sound against the plush gray carpeting. When she sits down, the hem of the dress rises, exposing a dark purple bruise on the outside of her knee.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I move to her and point to the bruise. If those assholes touched her while she was unconscious, if my father gave the go-ahead to use her while she was in that holding cell in the stable, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll be able to stop myself from bringing it to him.


    She bends to see what I¡¯m pointing at, then brushes my hand away. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I hit my knee on the bed frame back at the¡­¡± She lifts her eyes to mine. ¡°The stable.¡±


    The weight of her disgust presses down on me. It¡¯s not a proud feature of my family. But it is my family. I won¡¯t speak out against them, not even to her.


    My phone buzzes. I¡¯mte.


    I text Niko then stash the phone back in my pocket. ¡°I have to get moving. There¡¯s breakfast in the kitchen, eat it. If you¡¯d rather, I can have one of my men take you to your father¡¯s house and you can pack your things this afternoon.¡±


    The corner of her mouth twitches upward and for a second I think she¡¯s going to smile. But she recovers quickly, stashing her joy before it can fully form.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°That would be good, yes.¡± She looks at the bed. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Dimitri will be here at one o¡¯clock to bring you to your father¡¯s. I want you to rest this morning. Pick out something from the closet just for today.¡±


    Her gaze hardens.


    ¡°You would rather show up at your father¡¯s house in the same dress you were wearing yesterday?¡± I point to the skirt. ¡°It¡¯s all wrinkled.¡±


    Her jaw clenches tighter. I¡¯m not making a case, and I don¡¯t need to. If I tell her to pick something, she should just fucking pick it.


    ¡°I won¡¯t have you giving your father any reason to think I¡¯m mistreating you. There¡¯s peace today between our families, Lena. Do you really want to do anything that will mess that up?¡±


    ¡°Maybe you could have thought of that before your family kidnapped me and forced me here,¡± she snaps.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, and you know it.¡± My phone dings again. ¡°I¡¯m not arguing with you, I¡¯m telling you. Don¡¯t wear that to your father¡¯s this afternoon. Pick something else; you can burn itter if you want.¡± I¡¯m not sure what makes me offer that suggestion, but it seems to do the trick.


    ¡°You should go. You¡¯rete,¡± she says and walks to the en-suite bathroom, closing the door gently. I wait for a soft click to signal she¡¯s locked the door, but nothinges. Satisfied that she will at least be able to behave herself while I¡¯m gone, I grab my phone and shoot off a message that I¡¯m on my way.


    Once in the elevator, I send off orders to my men. We all have our duties for the day. Dimitri is the lucky bastard picked to babysit my fiancee for the afternoon.


    Lucky bastard, indeed.

 40

    Lena


    I¡¯m in the kitchen washing my breakfast dishes when a long chime rings. I turn off the water to listen, and again it rings. Leaving the pan in the sink, I make my way through the winding hallways to the main entrance just as the elevator doors slide open.


    Micah said he wouldn¡¯t be back until tonight. Stupid elevator, I have no way to stop someone from entering when they aren¡¯t supposed to. I don¡¯t even have my phone to call for help.


    A man steps off the elevator carrying four full bags. He¡¯s dressed simr to Micah with his dark suit and his ck hair slicked back from his face.


    ¡°Lena?¡± He brings his gaze to meet mine.


    I squeeze my hands together. ¡°Who are you?¡± I¡¯m a third of his size; even if I ran at him to knock him off bnce, I¡¯d probably only end up bouncing onto my ass.


    ¡°Dimitri, Micah¡¯s cousin,¡± he says with a nod and walks to the table between us. Pushing aside the vase he puts the bags down. ¡°Micah said to bring you these.¡± He reaches behind him and pulls out a cell phone. ¡°And give you this.¡±


    I stare at him for a long moment, before I take it from him. It¡¯s mine, and it¡¯s fully charged.


    ¡°He said whatever doesn¡¯t fit, put to the side and he¡¯ll take care of itter.¡± He pushes the bags toward me.


    ¡°You went shopping?¡± I ask him, while digging into the bags. I pull out a t-shirt, a dress, a pair of jeans-all the right size.


    Dimitri snorts. ¡°No. I don¡¯t¡­ shop. I picked them up from the stores I was told to.¡±


    ¡°Micah said I was going to my father¡¯s house this afternoon to get my own things.¡±


    Dimitri frowns. ¡°That won¡¯t be possible today. Things came up. He wanted you to have your phone in case you need him, his number¡¯s already programmed in.¡± He points to my hands cradling my lifeline to the real world. ¡°And here¡¯s the house code. For an emergency only.¡± He pulls a folded-up piece of paper from his jacket and hands it to me.


    ¡°What came up?¡±


    He shrugs. ¡°Things. He¡¯ll be homete tonight.¡±


    ¡°Late?¡± Am I really supposed to just sit here alone waiting for him toe home like some lost puppy waiting for her master? ¡°What about dinner?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, things came up.¡± He puts his hands up like he wants nothing to do with this discussion.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find my own way to my father¡¯s house then. I don¡¯t need you to take me. I¡¯m sure my brother can pick me up.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Micah said you¡¯re to stay here. He doesn¡¯t want you leaving today.¡±


    ¡°What am I supposed to do, just sit here and stare at the walls?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I gotta go. My suggestion, stay out of trouble.¡± His eyes soften a bit, like he¡¯s a big brother warning his little sister. ¡°The Ivanovs aren¡¯t a family to fuck with. You¡¯re lucky to be marrying Micah. Roman could have done much worse to you.¡±


    ¡°So lucky.¡± I grab the bags from the table. ¡°Thank you, Dimitri, for bringing these.¡±


    The elevator arrives and he steps inside. When he looks back at me there¡¯s a touch of warning in his expression. ¡°Look. Make the best of it, right?¡± This is his best try at advice.


    ¡°Yeah. Make the best.¡±


    Once he¡¯s gone, I take the bags to my room and dump them onto the bed. There¡¯s at least two weeks¡¯ worth of clothing here, including three dresses. They aren¡¯t my things, but at least they aren¡¯t from the closet of misfit one-night stands either. Everything he has in the dresser and the closet is brand new, tags are still on everything, but I¡¯m not ignorant about what they really are. Who they were really for.


    Dimitri wasn¡¯t at Roman¡¯s housest night, so he couldn¡¯t realize I was wearing the same dress.


    I shove the clothes in the closet to one side then go about hanging the things Micah has bought for me. As a young girl I fantasized about my knight in shining armor being so sweet as to go shopping for me. To bring me a beautiful ball gown to wear with him when we met the king. After I finish clearing a drawer in the dresser and filling it with my new things, I stare down at the panties. ckce and satin undergarments. Did Micah request these or did the salesdy already know his preferences?


    Once everything¡¯s put away, and I¡¯ve folded the paper shopping bags and stashed them behind the dresser, I change into a pair of jeans and t-shirt. I find a pair of sandals among the shoes and slip them on. I run a quick fingerb through my hair, working out the tangles and head back into the kitchen to finish cleaning up.


    * * *


    Skyscrapers block the sun, casting a pinkish orange shadow around the buildings as it begins to climb down from its daily perch. I lean my forehead against the window, staring at the city before me from the window seat in my bedroom. There¡¯s an entire apartment outside my door, but I haven¡¯t set foot in any of it.


    This isn¡¯t my home.


    I can¡¯t deny how beautiful it is, but it¡¯s not mine. I don¡¯t belong here. Sighing, my breath creates a circle of condensation on the window and I swipe my fingertip through it. This can¡¯t be the rest of my life, tucked away waiting for my husband toe home and let me out.


    My father warned me about this. He tried to tell me how things were going to be for me, but I refused to listen. I wouldn¡¯t ept that my position in the family was to be used like this.


    You cook, you take care of the household, you be there for your husband, that¡¯s what you do.


    His wordse back to me now and the same anger rolls into my chest. I¡¯m more than that. I can do more than make a pot of coffee and spread my legs when hemands it.


    As if on cue, my phone pings from the dresser. I¡¯d left messages with Marie and Tanya that I was alive but didn¡¯t go into details of what all had happened. Unraveling my legs from beneath me on the window seat, I get my phone.


    Let¡¯s parteeee


    Nine o¡¯clock Katfish


    Tanya¡¯s obsession with my brothers¡¯ new club doesn¡¯t seem to be fading in the same timeframe of her other obsessions. I start to text her that I can¡¯t make it, but my thumbs freeze.


    Why can¡¯t I make it?


    Micah isn¡¯t home to stop me, and he gave me the elevator passcode.


    Instead of texting her back, I hit the call button to get her on the line.


    ¡°Lena! Thank God you answered. I was worried,¡± Tanya yells through the phone. Music thumps behind her.


    ¡°You¡¯re already at Katfish?¡± I ask, stalking to the closet.


    ¡°No, Marie and I are at Kristian¡¯s, we¡¯re heading to the club next. You¡¯lle, right? Your dad doesn¡¯t have you locked up?¡±


    My father?


    ¡°Tanya, I¡¯m not at my house. My father-¡± I stop. She doesn¡¯t know, no one knows, I can still have a night of freedom before the word spreads through the families and I¡¯m roped down.


    ¡°You headed to the club now?¡± I flip through the dresses in the closet. The three Micah had sent over are good for dinners, but not clubbing. I need something more erotic. I¡¯ll have to wear something from the whore selection.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯reing, right?¡±


    I pluck a ck slip dress from the rack. Close enough to my size to make it work.


    ¡°On my way.¡±

 41

    Lena


    The bouncer standing outside Katfish greets me with a warm smile and waves me inside. I¡¯ve only met him once, and his name escapes me, but I thank him and head inside.


    ¡°Lena!¡± Someone grabs my arm and yanks me from the main entrance into the coat check hallway.


    I pull free of the grasp, ready to fight, until I recognize him. Jakub, my older brother.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he asks, ncing behind me. ¡°Is he with you?¡±


    ¡°Hi, Jakub. I¡¯m fine, thanks. No harm done while I was being kept in a fucking cell of the fucking Ivanov family, Jakub. You shouldn¡¯t be so concerned; you¡¯ll worry yourself into a stomach ulcer!¡± I shove at his shoulders.


    Dominik is the oldest and has always been the fierce protector of our family. But Jakub doesn¡¯t have the same worries the oldest son has; he spent more time with me growing up. He knows me better than my father, better than Dominik.


    He grabs my hands and holds them in front of me, staring at me with sad eyes and a fierce frown. He¡¯s torn.


    ¡°I am concerned, Lena.¡± He pulls me further down the hall, away from prying ears. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He looks me over, checking for some sign of abuse. As though anything done on the inside isn¡¯t as bad as what could have been done to the outside.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I tug my hands away from him and brush my hair from my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m okay. I promise. Other than being thrown in my trunk and drugged, no one¡¯s done anything to me.¡±


    His jaw tightens. ¡°What are you doing here? Dominik said we weren¡¯t able to contact you until the wedding.¡±


    Of course. Keeping me isted is probably their way of trying to keep me in control.


    ¡°I¡¯m meeting Tanya and Marie. Have you seen them?¡± If I can keep my confidence up front, maybe it will shield how much I¡¯m shaking on the inside. I¡¯ve defied Micah Ivanov. When he gets home and finds me gone, he¡¯s going to have to react.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± Jakub frowns.


    ¡°Jakub. I have the rest of my life to be annoyed by the Ivanov family. Give me tonight. After what happened, let me have a little freedom.¡±


    He sighs and tilts his head up to stare at the ceiling. When he was younger, he told me he did this to ask our mother for guidance on how to deal with me. I think that was just his way to guilt me into behaving.


    ¡°Fine. But no trouble, Lena. I¡¯m serious. You stay for a few drinks, then you go back.¡± He checks his watch. ¡°I¡¯ll have a car ready for you in one hour. Not a second more. Understood?¡± He tries to give me his stern brother look, but he¡¯s never quite mastered it the way Dominik has.


    ¡°Of course.¡± I smile and bat myshes at him. He only shakes his head, knowing full well I¡¯ll do what I want, and he won¡¯t be able to stop me.


    ¡°One hour, and if you don¡¯t get in the car on your own, I¡¯ll call Dominik, or worse, Micah.¡±


    Moving up to my toes, I press a chaste kiss to his cheek. ¡°Tattletale.¡± Iugh.


    ¡°Have fun while itsts, little sister,¡± he says and gestures toward the main room with his chin. ¡°I saw Tanya at the bar a few minutes ago. But I think they have a VIP section on the first floor.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I hug him tight then hurry off through the crowds to find my friends.


    Tanya finds me first. With winesses in both hands, she rushes up to me and hugs me, spilling some white wine on my arm.


    ¡°Hey, you made it!¡± she yells in my ear over the booming music. ¡°Fuck, Lena, this dress!¡± Her eyes go wide when she pulls back and looks at the painted-on dress I¡¯m wearing. The neckline dips deep between my breasts, down to my belly button. I have never been so thankful for the belly bootcamp ss I tortured myself with while in Pnd. The only purpose had been to get away from my father¡¯s men and his nagging, but it worked to my advantage.


    ¡°Tanya, look, I have to talk to you. Something¡¯s happened.¡± I take a ss from her and hook my arm through hers. ¡°But I only want to go through it once, so let¡¯s get to the table with Marie and I¡¯ll tell you both.¡±


    She knits her brows together. ¡°It¡¯s something bad.¡±


    I pull her along toward the VIP section. ¡°It¡¯s not something great, but it could be worse.¡±


    ¡°It has to do with whatever happened after you left the cafe the other day. Your father was so mad, and Dominik, I thought he was going to burst a blood vessel when we told him you left hours ago.¡±


    Once we¡¯re at the far corner table and I¡¯ve given Marie a hug and assured her I¡¯m fine, we sit down. There are dampeners set up on the outline of the section, so we can still hear the music, but it doesn¡¯t drown out our conversation.


    ¡°I love this ce now that Jakub¡¯s done his magic. Your brothers are going to blow the city away.¡± Marie sips whatever fruity concoction is in her ss.


    ¡°I was hoping they¡¯d change the name though,¡± Tanya remarks.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    I sigh and take a long sip of my wine. I couldn¡¯t care less what my brothers call their club.


    ¡°So, what did you want to tell us?¡± Tanya scoots to the same side of the table as Marie and gives me her undivided attention.


    I finish the wine.


    It¡¯s not strong enough.


    ¡°I¡¯m engaged.¡± I blurt out and reach over the table, taking Tanya¡¯s wine.


    ¡°What?¡± Marie¡¯s jaw cks. ¡°To who?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing. After I left the other day, there was some, well, my father arranged¡­¡±


    ¡°Spit it out.¡± Tanya pats my hand. ¡°We can put the pieces together on our own. Who did your father sell you off to?¡± Tanya¡¯s father has worked with mine in the past, so she understands my family better than Marie.


    ¡°Micah Ivanov.¡± I say, then drown his name with the entire ss of Pinot Grigio.


    ¡°The Russian guy?¡± Tanya¡¯s eyes widen. I might as well have told her I was marrying the Pope.


    ¡°You mean, the tall one with ck hair, and wears a suit all the time?¡± Marie asks.


    I roll my eyes. Dominik always wears a suit, too. That doesn¡¯t really help specify a man in my life.


    ¡°He¡¯s got a scar along his jaw, and he looks really pissed when he sees you?¡± Marie¡¯s gaze isn¡¯t on me. It¡¯s drifted over my shoulder and a trail of ice runs down my spine.


    He couldn¡¯t have found me so quickly.


    Not so easily.


    No. Not yet.


    ¡°Lena.¡± My name drops behind me and I know it¡¯s from his lips. A warm handnds on my shoulder, gripping me hard.


    I close my eyes. It¡¯s stupid and childish, but maybe if I can¡¯t see him, he¡¯ll go away.


    ¡°Ladies.¡± He greets my friends. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to pull Lena away, but it¡¯s time for her toe home.¡±


    ¡°Come home?¡± Tanya asks, frowning at me. ¡°You live with him now?¡±


    ¡°A lot has happened.¡± It¡¯s pathetic, and my only answer.


    Tanya just nods in response. Apparently having a high-level member of the Bratva standing over the table is enough to silence her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not quite ready to go yet, Micah.¡± I fold my hands together on the table, resolving to stay put.


    His warm breath tickles my ear. ¡°Don¡¯t make me carry you, Lena. You¡¯re in enough trouble, princess brat.¡±


    I bite the inside of my cheek. We¡¯re in public and to scream at him here would cause a scene that would embarrass my entire family. And provoke the Ivanov family.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you guys tomorrow.¡± I jerk my shoulder away from his grasp and stand from my chair. Both of my friends stare at me like I¡¯m being led to my execution and they¡¯re helpless to stop it.


    ¡°Lena, be careful,¡± Tanya yells at me when I turn away from the table.


    A quick nce up at his expression, and I can see why she would say such a thing. He looks ready to kill. Another shiver runs over me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He cups my elbow. To anyone looking at us, we appear to be just another couple making our way through the crowd. But he¡¯s gripping me hard enough that I wouldn¡¯t be able to yank free no matter how hard I tried.


    As we walk past the coat check, Jakub steps out. I don¡¯t stop my stride. Thest thing I need is to bring him into this mess. One Staszek in trouble with the Ivanovs is enough.


    Once outside, Micah walks me to the SUV idling in front of the club. He didn¡¯t have the car parked. Just hopped out and went inside to grab his wayward fiancee.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes are on me as I walk past the people waiting to get into Katfish. My skin burns from their curiosity, from their judgement.


    Micah opens the back door of the SUV for me and helps me climb inside. I expect him to go up front like he didst night, but he¡¯s not being as generous. He slides in right next to me and ms the door shut.


    ¡°Home,¡± he barks to the driver.


    ¡°Micah-¡±


    ¡°Not a word.¡± He puts a hand up between us, and I swallow the rest of my words.


    His man is driving us home. We¡¯ll talk once we¡¯re back at the apartment. When we¡¯re alone he¡¯ll listen.


    Only I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m lying to myself.

 42

    Lena


    It takes almost no time to get us back to Micah¡¯s ce. Or maybe it¡¯s just the sensation of time flying for the condemned. Micah hasn¡¯t nced in my direction since he mmed the door at the club. He¡¯s pissed, I get it, but such dramatics aren¡¯t necessary.


    The ride up the elevator with Micah standing directly behind me, ring at the back of my head, sets my nerves dancing again. With as much concealment as I can manage, I take calming breaths to slow my racing heart, to get my lungs to work in correct order. I won¡¯t lose against him; I can handle this and anything else the Ivanov family sends my way.


    I step off the elevator as soon as the doors open enough for me to slither through and head directly toward my room.


    ¡°Lena.¡± His heavy tone stops me. ¡°Follow me.¡± He saunters past me and continues walking straight down the main hallway toward the double doors leading to his room. Although I was tempted to explore, I hadn¡¯t bothered looking around today. Who knows what lurks behind the two mahogany doors.


    ¡°Now,¡± he calls when he¡¯s halfway to his destination and I still haven¡¯t moved.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we talk here?¡± I hurry my steps and catch up with him quickly.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t going to be doing much talking.¡±


    Nothing about his deration gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. My feet agree and cement themselves to the floor. I¡¯m easily within his grasp, but I¡¯m not moving.


    ¡°Lena.¡± My namees out on a heavy sigh. ¡°I think you¡¯ve been disobedient enough for one day, don¡¯t you?¡± He pulls open one door and gestures for me to get inside.


    From my standpoint, I can see a seating area. A couch, a recliner. Nothing too ominous, but I¡¯m not really in the mood for risks.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    His dark eyebrows shoot up. ¡°I told you if you disobeyed there would be consequences.¡±


    I swallow back the little squeak my nerves let loose. ¡°What exactly does that mean?¡± I grip my handbag with both hands in front of me, as though in some dimension the five-inch pouch could ward off an angry Micah.


    He cocks his head to the side, narrowing his eyes on me. I¡¯m pressing the line with my questions, with my hesitation, but I can¡¯t seem to stop myself. A freight train would have an easier time of mming to stop at this point.


    ¡°You were told to stay home today.¡± He reminds me of my crime, but it doesn¡¯t answer my question. ¡°Weren¡¯t you? Dimitri said he gave you the message. You have your phone, so I know he¡¯s not lying.¡±


    I press my bag, where my phone is safely tucked away, to my stomach. ¡°How do you know I have my phone?¡±


    His lips ease into a confident grin. ¡°How do you think I found you so quickly, princess?¡±


    Of course. He gave me the phone back so quickly because he put a tracker on it. As soon as I stepped foot out of the apartment, he was probably alerted.


    ¡°I understand you¡¯re not happy that I left. But you were supposed to be home. You said I would get to go to my father¡¯s house today. You said you were taking me out to dinner tonight.¡± I hold his gaze, but it takes so much energy not to tear my sight away from him. Even with that damn grin stered on his lips, I can see the frustration in him. He¡¯s not going to let this go.


    ¡°Things changed and you were made aware of that.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter, does it, princess? I told you to stay put, and you didn¡¯t. It¡¯s a fairly easy concept to understand-obedience.¡±


    My stomach knots and twists. I¡¯ve heard this tone before. Dominik uses the same one when he¡¯s past the point of discussion. When he¡¯s already decreed the punishment for the crime in his mind and all that¡¯s left is to administer it.


    ¡°What do you want, an apology?¡± I raise my chin a fraction and straighten my spine. I am not a child and I will not be talked down to as though I am. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I didn¡¯t sit around here and pine for your return, oh master and lord of the castle.¡± I sweep my arm down in front of me while dipping into a curtsey. When I get back to my feet, his arrogant smile is gone. The devil is riding my way, and instead of locking the door, I opened it.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be saying I¡¯m sorry soon enough,¡± he promises and walks into the room. He shakes off his suit jacket,ys it over the arm of the recliner, and stands in front of the couch, beckoning me with a crooked finger. ¡°Now, Lena. I had to leave a very important meeting to go find you. I¡¯m not going to wait all night.¡±


    My bedroom is only a few hundred feet behind me. I might be able to outrun him, even in my heels. But he has the key, and he already told me not to lock the door. How much do I want to risk going against him once more today?


    With my head held high, my shoulders rolled back, I walk straight into the room. I toss my purse onto the recliner and fold my arms, ready to listen to whatever lecture he¡¯s concocted. He¡¯ll probably take away my phone, and he won¡¯t let me go to my father¡¯s, that¡¯s for certain. Whatever else he throws at me, I¡¯ll handle gracefully.


    ¡°Take off your shoes.¡± He flicks his hand toward the red stilettos I found in the closet of misfit mistresses. They aren¡¯t exactly my size and have left my toes squished all night. Getting out of them is a luxury. While keeping my eyes locked on his-a feat I wasn¡¯t sure I had the energy to conquer-I kick the shoes off. Instant relief floods my poor toes.


    His eyes travel down my body, surveying the dress, and then my feet. He gives a victorious grin.


    ¡°Guess the clothes came in handy, huh?¡± He points to my reddened toes. ¡°You¡¯ll be swollen tomorrow. You shouldn¡¯t have worn them if they hurt like that.¡±


    ¡°If you want to discuss my wardrobe, we can do it in the morning. I¡¯m tired.¡± I force a bored sigh.


    His left eyebrow arches and he begins to unbutton his sleeve. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to bed yet, princess.¡±


    My skin crawls every time he calls me that damn nickname. I never asked to be the youngest in my family, or the only girl. I never wanted all the attention that was sprayed in my direction.


    With his dark eyes settled directly on me, he rolls up one sleeve and then the other to his elbow. It shouldn¡¯t bring any level of excitement to me, but heat spreads from my pussy upward to my belly. It¡¯s because of his sculpted body. No matter his level of asshole-ness, the man is attractive. It¡¯s a nonconsensual response.


    ¡°Take off your panties.¡± He sits on the couch and ces his hands on his knees. ¡°Then pull up your skirt.¡±


    My ass cheeks clench at the indication he¡¯s making.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you hit me,¡± I say, taking a wide step back.


    He pats his right thigh. ¡°You¡¯re right. You aren¡¯t going to let me do anything. You¡¯re going drape yourself over my knee and then you¡¯re going to ask me to give you the punishment you deserve.¡±


    A jolt of electricity erases all thought from my brain.


    ¡°Why would I do that?¡± I finally pluck the right words from the windstorm my brain has be.


    ¡°Because if you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll save your punishment for when my men arrive in thirty minutes. You interrupted my meeting, so they areing over here tonight to finish it. I¡¯m sure they wouldn¡¯t mind watching your ass turned red for the trouble your little trip caused them.¡±


    The image he describes forms in my mind. I have no doubt he¡¯d do such a thing, adding humiliation to my pain. They¡¯dugh at me-at the Staszek bitch getting what¡¯sing to her.


    ¡°What¡¯s it going to be, Lena?¡± Micah runs his right hand up and down his knee, like he¡¯s warming it for me. As though my entire body isn¡¯t already on fire from embarrassment.


    I haven¡¯t been spanked since I was a small child, and it wasn¡¯t even a spanking but a smack to my butt after my mom caught me stealing the bag of cookies in the pantry.


    ¡°I-Micah, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s been a really hard week.¡±


    Understanding edges its way into his hard re. ¡°None of that was your fault. But tonight was all you. Now let¡¯s get this done. Over my knee and ask for your punishment.¡±


    I have only one hope left. Once I¡¯m in position, he¡¯ll let me back up with a warning that next time he¡¯ll go through with it. This could be a test. Just to get me to understand what he can make me do-what he can do to me.


    Clinging to that notion, I shuffle myself to his side until my knees touch his.


    ¡°Your panties,¡± he reminds me. ¡°Remove them.¡±


    I raise my eyes up to the ceiling. How am I going to get through this? Inch by inch, I pull up the tight-fitting skirt of the ridiculous dress until I can snag the stic of my panties. His attention slides down my body to my hands as I roll them over my hips and push them down to my feet. I bend over to pick them up, but he snags them before I touch them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep these.¡± He puts them on the couch cushion beside him. An insult burns my tongue, but the heat spreading across my cheeks helps keep it inside my mouth.


    ¡°Over.¡± He pats his leg again.


    I raise my eyes from him, focusing instead on the arm of the couch as I bend over and crawl over hisp. He raises his right knee, tipping my head lower and my ass higher. I grab hold of a pillow and hug it to my chest, pressing my face into the couch.


    Any second now, he¡¯ll let me up with a warning. I¡¯ve learned my lesson well enough. We can finish this now.


    ¡°Skirt.¡± He tugs on the hem of the dress.


    ¡°What?¡± I look back over my shoulder at him.


    ¡°The skirt of your dress-pull it up,¡± he says again. There¡¯s no hint of reprieve in his dark eyes. Nothing but resolve.


    Squeezing my eyes shut, I turn away from him and reach behind me.


    ¡°All the way up, Lena, to your waist,¡± he instructs.


    Gathering up the material in my fists, I drag it up until my bare ass is fully exposed to him. Tears build behind my eyes, but I hold them. I won¡¯t allow him to witness my mortification.


    ¡°There.¡± He pats the low curve of my ass. ¡°Now we¡¯re almost ready to start.¡±


    Thest bit of his instructionses to my mind. I¡¯m supposed to ask him for this.


    ¡°Unless you¡¯d rather wait until my men get here?¡± He sounds genuinely curious, but it¡¯s a front. All of this is just for show.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    When I swallow, there¡¯s a lump in my throat. It¡¯s my pride, all balled up and ready to be swallowed down whole.


    ¡°Will you please-¡± I fist my hands into the pillow. I can¡¯t do it.


    ¡°They¡¯ll be here in probably twenty minutes,¡± he says, running his hand over my ass in circles. If this were any other moment, and if he was any other man, it could beforting, good even.


    ¡°Will you please punish me for my disobedience?¡± I let out a relieved sigh. Now he can let me up.


    ¡°Of course I will, Lena.¡±


    My eyes fly open just as the first crack of his hand hits my ass. Vibrations from the impact rush my body, but it¡¯s the shock that has me frozen.


    The second smack to my rear jolts me back and the heat spreads over my cheeks.


    Over and over again he peppers my ass with his open hand, not missing an inch. What starts as a nket of warmth quickly ignites into an ember.


    ¡°Micah.¡± I wiggle from side to side. ¡°You made your point,¡± I say, shoving my arm back between our bodies and trying to shield myself.


    ¡°No reaching back.¡± He grabs my wrist and pins it to the small of my back. ¡°And my point was made a while ago, this is your punishment. This is the consequence for bad girls who disobey.¡±

 43

    The swats get harder and faster.


    ¡°Micah!¡± I wiggle more, but he only responds easily by maneuvering his leg from beneath me and trapping me between them. I can¡¯t get away, and he¡¯s got my wrist in such a death grip I can¡¯t get free that way either.


    ¡°Learn this lesson well, Lena, because if we have to repeat it, you¡¯ll be getting a taste of my belt,¡± he promises as he increases the spanks once again. I smack the couch cushion in front of me and try to push out of the vise his legs have me in, but it¡¯s for naught. I¡¯m only exhausting myself.


    The tears I swore would stay behind closed lids spill down my cheeks.


    ¡°Please!¡± I beg as I try to throw my right hand behind me to stop the spanks if only for a moment. He captures that hand as well and now I have both hands pinned and my legs locked down. I¡¯mpletely helpless.


    My ass is an inferno from his punishing hand, but he doesn¡¯t let up. Over and over again he spanks, moving his aim even a little lower to the tops of my thighs. But I¡¯m out of fight, I¡¯m out of pride.


    I¡¯m crying. Openly crying into the couch, while he continues to spank me like a disobedient brat. I should have stayed in; I should have found something else to do, maybe invited Tanya and Marie over here. Instead, I tried to show him what I thought of his authority.


    And now he shows me what it really means.


    ¡°It¡¯s over, Lena,¡± he says between my soft sobs. The couch muffles me enough that maybe I haven¡¯tpletely embarrassed myself. The throb in my ass takes up all of my attention. How can I sit down now? I have to be ck and blue and swollen.


    Micah eases me up from between his legs and pulls me into hisp. I hiss as soon as the raw skin of my ass rubs against the smooth material of his trousers. He wraps his arms around my shoulders and pulls me into his chest, tucking my head beneath his chin.


    I wipe the tears from my cheeks and take a slow breath in, hold for three seconds, and release.


    ¡°You did pretty good, Lena.¡± Hispliment surprises me and I push away from his chest to look into his eyes. If he¡¯s teasing me, I¡¯ll lose my temper. Where there was sternness before, there¡¯s warmth now.


    ¡°I don¡¯t ever want to do that again.¡± My voice shakes, but it can¡¯t be helped.


    He breaks into a smile. ¡°Good, then maybe we won¡¯t have to.¡± He tilts his head to the side. ¡°Except for fun.¡±


    ¡°Fun?¡± My brows furrow. ¡°Why would that ever be fun for me?¡±


    His arm wrapped around my torso tightens and his free hand pushes my legs apart. ¡°Don¡¯t fight me now, unless you want to go back over my knee.¡±


    It¡¯s only curiosity that keeps me obedient as he slides his hand up my thigh to my sex. With a featherlike touch, he glides his finger through my folds, flicking my clit as he removes his touch and brings his finger up to my view. My juices have soaked him.


    A new heat spreads across my cheeks, and a new sort of mortification takes over when he sucks his finger and licks off my arousal.


    ¡°I¡­¡± I have nothing to say.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing, Lena.¡± He cups my cheek, pulling me to look him in the eye again. ¡°Once we¡¯re married, it will be good between us. We¡¯ll make it work.¡±


    What is he talking about?


    ¡°You just had me over yourp and spanked me. You just¡­ my butt hurts so much I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll be able to sit tomorrow.¡±


    He shrugs. ¡°Maybe not. I wasn¡¯t as hard on you as I would have been if we knew each other more.¡±


    ¡°More? We don¡¯t know each other at all!¡± I elbow away from him and get to my feet, quickly shoving my dress back down to cover myself. He¡¯s seen more than enough of my body tonight.


    He rises to his feet with me, and hovers over me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want this marriage, Micah. Neither do you.¡± I lift my chin.


    He reaches out and trails his fingertip down my cheek. ¡°You cried so prettily.¡±


    My heart hammers with his words, not with what he said, but how aroused he sounds when he says it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to cry.¡± It¡¯s a pathetic thing to say, but I¡¯m not thinking clearly.


    ¡°You will. And it will be good. You¡¯ll see.¡± He cups my cheek and leans in, the scent of his spiced aftershave envelops me just before his lips press against mine. His hand snakes behind my head, into my hair where he makes a fist.


    It hurts, but the tenderness of his kiss washes it away. His tongue brushes against my lips, as though asking permission to enter. But all gentleness ends as soon as I give him entry. The kiss turns possessive and hard. My lips will be as swollen as my ass, but I can¡¯t seem to find the strength to shove him away. Or the desire.


    My toes curl into the carpet as he presses his body against mine. Every bit of him is touching me. Every. Bit. His cock is hard, and he presses it firmly against my hip.


    Only when he releases me do I remember to breathe. His brown eyes meet mine as he slowly lets go of my hair.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long night for you. Wash up and get in bed.¡±


    I stare at his lips. How can a man with such power, such steel in his heart bring about such warmth and longing with a kiss?


    ¡°Lena. I¡¯m going to have some boxes brought up tomorrow. I want that closet packed up and I never want to see you in one of those dresses again.¡± He pinches my hip and smiles.


    ¡°Will you¡­ I mean, is that thest time?¡± I look over at the couch, hoping he catches my meaning.


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard about you, I doubt it.¡± He wipes my cheek. ¡°No more tears tonight, or I won¡¯t be able to wait until our wedding to take you to my bed.¡±


    I must look shocked by his words because heughs. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard it. It¡¯s earthy and genuine.


    ¡°Go to bed, Lena.¡± He spins me around and pats my ass.


    I start forward and go to pick up the shoes, but he stops me.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°Leave those. I¡¯m going throw them away. They¡¯re too small for you.¡±


    My toes.


    I look down and wiggle them. They don¡¯t hurt anymore, but I¡¯ll probably have a blister tomorrow.


    ¡°Good night, Micah,¡± I say and hurry from the room.


    Anger should be ruling my mood. I should be ready to throw things and demand to be taken home. I should pick up my phone and call my father and tell him Micah hit me. That I¡¯m being abused.


    Back in my room, I open the closet door to the full-length mirror. I pull up the dress and turn to look at my ass expecting to see ck and blue markings.


    But all I see are red splotches and one very distinct handprint. My fingers gently trace over the print, over Micah¡¯s hand.


    This is a dangerous ce to be. Micah is a dangerous man. And I¡¯m not sure I have the weapons to fight him.

 44

    Micah


    My father¡¯s boisterousugh warns me he¡¯s in my office before I reach the door. It¡¯s already been a shitstorm of a day, and now I have to deal with him. This restaurant isn¡¯t just a way to bring the family closer to legitimacy; it¡¯s the one thing in all of our dealings that¡¯spletely mine to run. No oversight, no one to answer to or run shit by first. It¡¯s just mine.


    But my father forgets.


    ¡°Hey.¡± Dimitri catches me as I reach for the door. ¡°Give him a minute.¡±


    I drop my hand from the handle. ¡°What¡¯s he doing?¡±


    My cousin grins.


    ¡°Who is he doing?¡± I made it clear the restaurant staff was off limits. We¡¯re running a clean business here; we can¡¯t have sexual harassment suits happening.


    ¡°He¡¯s been here a while waiting for you,¡± Dimitri exins with a shrug.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want him manhandling the staff.¡± I push through the door into my office. My father turns to me, a wide-eyed smile frozen on his lips. One of the waitresses, Tammy, Tanya, something like that, is sitting on hisp, ying with his tie.


    ¡°Micah. You¡¯re here. Finally.¡± My father pats the girl¡¯s hip. ¡°Back to work.¡±


    She slides off hisp and throws a wink his way before shuffling toward the door. As she passes me, I grab her arm.


    ¡°I want a wordter.¡± She lowers her eyes and nods. If she thinks she¡¯s going to get anywhere in this restaurant by cozying up to my father, I¡¯m going to set her straight. And if Roman overstepped this afternoon, I¡¯m going to have to apologize on his behalf, while not apologizing for him.


    Some days I wonder if I¡¯m going to finally tip off the tightrope I walk.


    ¡°Dimitri.¡± I stop him before he walks away. ¡°I¡¯m runningte. Call Niko and tell him to go my apartment and pick up Lena and take her to her father¡¯s house. She¡¯s going to get some of her things. Whatever she can¡¯t fit into the SUV, have a few guys go over tomorrow to get.¡±


    ¡°You got it.¡± Dimitri pulls my office door closed, leaving me to deal with Roman on my own.


    ¡°Did we have a meeting set up?¡± I slide my hands into my pockets. He¡¯s sitting at my desk, but he¡¯s still the head of this family. So like it or not, I¡¯m going to remain standing on this side for the time being.


    ¡°No.¡± He leans back in my chair. ¡°You had a meeting with Joseph Staszek this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°I did. He wanted to talk about his daughter. It had nothing to do with the deal he made with you.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± He leans forward, all attentive now that we¡¯re talking about the Staszek family.


    ¡°And he informed me that he was cutting Lena from his estate. She¡¯ll inherit nothing once the marriage takes ce. The deals he made with you for territory and all that stays the same, but she¡¯ll get nothing, which means I¡¯ll get nothing when he passes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all going to the boys.¡± Roman nods. ¡°It¡¯s not unheard of. More traditional than most these days, but I suppose we can¡¯t fight him on it.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°He¡¯s choking her out because of us,¡± I say inly, not that he¡¯ll give a shit. Why would he, the territory lines have moved, and he¡¯s gotten what he wanted from this mess.


    ¡°She¡¯ll have our name, and you¡¯ll see that she¡¯s taken care of.¡± He shoves out of my chair with a grunt. ¡°Not too well, don¡¯t waste your money on that Polish trash.¡±


    I fist my hands in my pockets. Lena¡¯s not trash. I may not know her well yet, but from what I¡¯ve seen she¡¯s anything but that. I tease her by calling her a princess, but it¡¯s notpletely a joke. So far she¡¯s shown herself more regal than any actual royalty I¡¯ve met.


    Even after I tanned her assst night, she didn¡¯te at me in a wild rage or throw a tantrum. She epted her punishment, kept herself together, and took every swat to her ass with a grace I¡¯d forgotten a woman could possess. Thest girl I dated with any sort of regrity hadn¡¯tsted half a dozen swats before she lost her mind and started hitting at me and cussing me out. It wasn¡¯t worth the fight-I¡¯d let her leave and never called her again.


    ¡°What brings you here?¡± I change the topic. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    He shakes his head. ¡°No, no, not at all. In fact, things are good, Micah. Real good.¡± He grins. ¡°Now that we have the train depot at our full disposal, we can increase our transports. I¡¯ve already discussed with our partners up in New York, and they say they can handle twice the load we move now.¡± His Russian ent thickens the more excited he gets about this venture.


    ¡°Twice?¡± I control my surprise. ¡°The traffic was supposed to slow, not increase. Between the two clubs on the south side and this restaurant we¡¯re making good profits. They give us an ie stream that lets us focus on other things.¡± My office is secure, but there¡¯s still cause for caution. Roman¡¯s hand having been up the waitress¡¯s skirt, for one.


    ¡°Yeah, of course, of course. These businesses help us hide. I understand. I do, Micah. But your brother built us a line of ie that is never ending.¡± He makes his way to me, nting his heavy hands on my shoulders. ¡°Igor built the traffic line from the ground up. It¡¯s a solid business. No reason not to expand when it¡¯s right there for the taking.¡± His eyes peer into me as his hands tighten around my shoulders.


    ¡°Igor did an amazing job, I know,¡± I agree. Igor did many great things for our family, for my father; his legacy should be more than the trafficking of stolen women.


    ¡°He was a strong man. He had visions for this family, for all of us.¡±


    I¡¯ve heard this lecture before. The great saint that was my brother.


    ¡°I have visions for this family, too.¡± I line my gaze with his. As the second son, I walked in Igor¡¯s shadow-dly-my entire life. But I¡¯m not the second son anymore. I¡¯m the only son.


    He raises his eyebrow. ¡°I know you do.¡± He pats my cheek. ¡°And they are good ideas. Legitimize where we can. It¡¯s a solid n. One ourwyers I¡¯m sure are thrilled to seeing to fruition. But the money isn¡¯t in breadsticks and dance clubs. It¡¯s where we¡¯ve always made our best money. How do the Americans say¡­ sex, drugs, and rock and roll? Well, maybe not so much the rock and roll, eh?¡± Heughs and pats my cheek again. I don¡¯t recall him every patting Igor¡¯s cheek like a little boy.


    ¡°Your brother was a smart man.¡± He points at me. ¡°He knew when to move forward and when to back off.¡± His smile still clings to his lips, but there¡¯s a warning there, underlining the words. Don¡¯t push him.


    ¡°Doubling the traffic would put us in danger. The payroll would have to double along with it. They can only turn the other cheek for so much.¡± I appeal to the bottom line. Thew enforcement that we¡¯ve been able to hook to protect us won¡¯t take breadcrumbs anymore if my father expands too quickly.


    ¡°Eh, we¡¯ll work it out. Even if we do double the security payroll, we¡¯ll still make more in the long run. This is a good thing, Micah. Be happy for us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good news.¡± I nod along with him because it¡¯s what he wants. And Roman Ivanov won¡¯t leave until he gets what he wants.


    ¡°Excellent.¡± He grabs his coat from the back of a chair. Even when it¡¯s sunny and humid outside, the man carries his coat with him. An old habit, I think, of when he used it to smuggle for his old boss.


    ¡°One more thing,¡± he says as he stops at the door. ¡°The wedding will be this Saturday at my house. I expect you and that girl to be there Friday night for a celebration dinner.¡±


    We¡¯d already discussed the ceremony being held at his ce, but the dinner Friday night is new.


    ¡°Of course.¡± There¡¯s no reason to disagree.


    ¡°The Staszeks won¡¯t be there, but I¡¯m gracious enough to allow them at the ceremony.¡± He frowns.


    ¡°Do you need me to do anything-for the expansion?¡± I offer before he decides I¡¯m against him. Disagreeing with him is one thing; openly disapproving is something altogether different, and more dangerous.


    ¡°No, not right now. The hunters will increase their catches next month. We might need some readjusting then.¡± He opens the door. ¡°I¡¯ll see you Friday.¡±


    I nod. ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll be there.¡±


    With fucking bells on.

 45

    Lena


    My bedroom at my father¡¯s house was more weing after I¡¯d returned from Pnd than it is today. Nothing in here has the sense of home. Even my bed feels off when I sit on it. I¡¯ve only been gone a few days, and already my past drifts into the distance.


    ¡°Need any more boxes?¡± Niko brings in another box that he¡¯s taped up for me to fill and drops it next to the dresser.


    ¡°This should do it,¡± I say, looking at the other four he¡¯s made for me.


    He looks around at what I¡¯ve already aplished in the two hours we¡¯ve been in my father¡¯s house. Six boxes sealed and ready for moving, and three suitcases. Shit, maybe Micah¡¯s right to call me a princess. I haven¡¯t even packed my out-of-season clothing yet.


    My cheeks heat at the thought of Micah. He had already left the apartment this morning when I gathered up the courage to go to the kitchen. I was lucky to avoid the awkwardness. Or maybe he wouldn¡¯t think anything was out of the ordinary. Maybe he spanked all of his past girlfriends and it was just another evening by his standards.


    But it wasn¡¯t for me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring the suitcases down to the car. I think we can fit probably three of the boxes, so just let me know which three you want today. The rest will have to be moved tomorrow.¡±


    I silently nod and turn back to my dresser, picking up my mother¡¯s music box. Tears sting my eyes as I open the lid and the soft melody ys. I wish I could remember more of her than just this song. It¡¯s been years since I saw her face clearly in my memory or remembered the smell of her perfume.


    I¡¯m packing up my entire life into boxes. My father isn¡¯t home; the housekeeper said he had a meeting or some nonsense. I have no one here, and no one where I¡¯m going.


    ¡°Lena?¡± Dominik¡¯s voice carries from the hallway.


    Quickly, I snap the box closed and wipe the lone tear from my cheek.


    ¡°Here,¡± I call.


    Dominik saunters into my room, taking one look at the boxes and a dark cloud covers his features.


    ¡°Dad¡¯s not here,¡± I say and pack the music box away.


    ¡°I know. Micah told him to stay away, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I huff. ¡°Micah tells our father to jump and he does?¡±


    ¡°I think he couldn¡¯t face you.¡± Dominik maneuvers around the boxes to me, ncing down at the half-packed box.


    ¡°Why not? This is my duty, right? To marry into some family that will bring our family prosperity?¡± I drop my hands from the dresser. I don¡¯t want anything else from this room. It¡¯s all tainted with hopes and dreams of a stupid young girl. ¡°Except that¡¯s not what this is, right? This is punishment for what your wife did.¡± Anger bubbles in my chest. Looking at him brings the dormant rage to life. ¡°But instead of you or her dealing with the consequences, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Lena. We had no way of knowing that shipment belonged to them,¡± he says for the millionth time, and still, it does nothing to assuage my anger.


    ¡°If you had known, you wouldn¡¯t have stopped her. You would have still done exactly as you did,¡± I use him. His jaw tightens, but I¡¯m not done. ¡°It¡¯s because of you and that wife of yours that this happened. Why are you here? To be sure I honor themitment you and our father made on my behalf? To be certain I don¡¯t run away and leave you to clean up your own mess?¡±


    ¡°If there was another way to resolve this I would.¡± Dominik frowns. He¡¯s telling me the truth; he would sacrifice himself for me if he needed to, but that doesn¡¯t make the hurt any less.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want this, Dominik,¡± I say softly.


    ¡°Micah is a good man,¡± Dominik says. ¡°Kasia didn¡¯t want to marry me either.¡±


    ¡°Micah is an Ivanov. You¡¯ve always told me the Russians weren¡¯t to be trusted.¡±


    Dominik takes a deep breath. ¡°Since when do you listen to me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid,¡± I confess, keeping my eyes down. I can¡¯t bear to see his disapproval.


    ¡°It will work out, Lena,¡± he promises, but how can he know? ¡°We all make sacrifices for the family. I married a Garska for the same reason you¡¯re marrying an Ivanov.¡±


    I raise my eyes to his. Deep down, I know he¡¯s right. He had no choice in his wife; our father decided that it would happen.


    ¡°I need to hurry up.¡± I work the box closed. Dominik takes the packing tape from me and seals it for me.


    ¡°Dominik.¡± Micah¡¯s dark voice wafts from the doorway. The air grows thick instantly when I look up at him. He¡¯s frowning.


    ¡°Micah.¡± Dominik puts the packing tape on the dresser and steps to my side. ¡°I came to check on my sister.¡±


    ¡°I can see that.¡± Micah surveys the boxes. ¡°Is this everything?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I hold myself straight, but don¡¯t quite meet his gaze.


    ¡°I can bring her to your ce,¡± Dominik says. ¡°I¡¯ll take a load of the boxes with me-save your men some time.¡±


    Micah¡¯s lips tug into a half smile, but even that much is forced.


    ¡°No need. We¡¯ll be taking the car Niko¡¯s already filled. He¡¯ll use mine to pack these.¡± He waves at what¡¯s left of my life tucked away in cardboard boxes.


    ¡°My wife hasn¡¯t met Lena yet. I¡¯d like her toe to dinner tomorrow night.¡±


    Micah grins. ¡°Sorry, she¡¯s busy.¡±


    ¡°I am not,¡± I interject.


    Irritation shes in Micah¡¯s eyes. I¡¯m not picking sides between these chest-pounding apes, but I will be the one who decides my social calendar.


    ¡°You are.¡± There¡¯s no wiggle room in his tone.


    ¡°I won¡¯t have you keeping her from her family.¡± Dominik steps toward Micah. Not only are they the same build and height, their stern expressions match. It¡¯s almostical, the way they are throwing around their authority.


    ¡°She has a new family to get to know. And seeing as your father all but threw her out of your family today, I don¡¯t see the problem.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I take a step forward, maneuvering around the box. ¡°What does he mean?¡± I tug on Dominik¡¯s arm. His jaw tenses, but he keeps his re settled on Micah.


    ¡°Do you not want to tell her?¡± Micah gestures toward me.


    ¡°Roman Ivanov won¡¯t allow us to attend the rehearsal dinner. We are only to attend the wedding on Saturday,¡± Dominick informs me as though reading me a headline.


    ¡°The wedding¡¯s on Saturday?¡± I blink a few times. ¡°Wait. Why can¡¯t they be there on Friday?¡± I ask Micah. ¡°And how does that mean my father has kicked me out of my family?¡±


    Micah stares down Dominik for a long moment then heaves a sarcastic sigh. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell her.¡± He turns his gaze on me, but as soon as his eyes meet mine, the joy he cradled a moment ago softens. Another long beat passes before he finally speaks. ¡°Your father has written you out of his will. You¡¯ll inherit nothing.¡±


    Out of nowhere a wrecking ball blows through my chest, whisking away my air. After a moment turns into two, then three, I finally remember to suck in air.


    ¡°He¡¯s disowned me?¡± I turn my attention to Dominik. ¡°You knew. That¡¯s why you came here.¡±


    ¡°No. I came to see you. But yes, I knew what he was doing. He is not kicking you out of our family. You will always be a Staszek.¡±


    ¡°Until she is an Ivanov. Once she takes my name, she¡¯ll be part of my family,¡± Micah exins.


    Dominik turns to me, effectively blocking me from seeing Micah.


    ¡°He¡¯s not disowning you, but he doesn¡¯t want anything going to the Ivanovs. It¡¯s not you, Lena.¡± Dominik softens his tone, but it doesn¡¯t take away the sting.


    I take a slow breath in through my mouth and push it out through my nose. It¡¯s not enough to squelch my rattled insides, but it keeps me from crying.


    ¡°No, nothing about this is about me.¡±


    ¡°Lena-¡±


    ¡°We should go.¡± Micah moves in; his presence pushes Dominik to step to the side in order to avoid a confrontation.


    ¡°Give me a minute with her,¡± Dominik demands. But he doesn¡¯t have authority in my life anymore. The reins have been handed over to Micah.


    ¡°We need to go,¡± Micah repeats, keeping his voice firm and his eyes on me. Am I supposed to choose? I want neither of them. I want to crawl under my covers until the monsters leave, but none of that is going to happen.


    ¡°I¡¯m imagining the two of you fighting. Like a real fight. Fists and blood, all that stuff.¡± I move my gaze to my brother then to my fiance. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know who I¡¯d root for, or if I would just be happy you were both hurting.¡±


    Dominik¡¯s lips pinch together. Whatever he wants to say, he¡¯s going to keep it to himself.


    Micah grabs hold of my hand. ¡°That¡¯s enough, let¡¯s go.¡± He tugs me along, and like the little pawn I am, I move from one room to the next and out of the house until I¡¯m stored away in the passenger seat of the SUV.


    As Micah pulls away from the curb, I look up at my bedroom window. Dominik stands there, his hands in fists. I can almost see the anger rolling off him.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I ask, turning away from my childhood home.


    ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± Micah¡¯s question surprises me.


    ¡°You sounded like we had to be somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Your brother was upsetting you,¡± he says.


    ¡°I was fine.¡±


    He nces over at me. ¡°You were doing that breathing thing you do. You weren¡¯t fine.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°When you get worked up, you do a breathing technique.¡± He turns the car down a side street. ¡°I dated a psychologist once. She used it for anxiety stuff. Is that what you have?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just get this stuff home. I¡¯d like to get my clothes unpacked tonight.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t have my wife keeping secrets from me.¡±


    I look out the window, at the houses of old friends passing. Stores I used to sneak to with my allowance and buy candy before dinner. It all slips past me as I¡¯m driven further and further away from where I started, from where I belonged.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m not your wife yet.¡± I lean back against the headrest and close my eyes.


    He says something to himself, under his breath in Russian. I don¡¯tpletely understand it, but I¡¯m pretty sure he was cursing.


    I turn toward the window, eyes closed and a smile tugging at my lips.

 46

    Micah


    I¡¯m an asshole. It¡¯s just a fact, and I¡¯ve never denied it. But when Lena¡¯s body sagged in reaction to finding out about her father¡¯s actions, I felt it in my soul. Branding Asshole right across my deepest self.


    Nothing happening now is her doing. Everything is because of the actions of other people, but here she is taking the brunt of the punishment. She¡¯s angry, it vibrates off of her, but she¡¯s holding herself together, either to show me her strength or because she doesn¡¯t think she¡¯s safe enough to unravel.


    I¡¯ve done my homework and Lena Staszek has reason to hold her chin high when she walks into a room. And it has nothing to do with her father¡¯s station in his family, although to the outsider it seems that way. This woman of mine has more to her than she lets anyone see, more than I think her father knows about. I wasn¡¯t just bullshitting her when I said I won¡¯t have secrets. But after witnessing a few stones crumble from her exterior this afternoon, I¡¯m willing to give her more time.


    ¡°The stuff from the closet is boxed up, can you help me bring it out here for the guys?¡± Lena asks while heading to her room once we¡¯re home.


    ¡°Lena, wait.¡±


    She pauses at the door, her hand already poised over the handle.


    ¡°Your things will be moved into my room.¡± I announce my decision even as I¡¯m making it.


    She drops her hand and turns to me; shocked eyes line up with mine. ¡°What? Why?¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be married in a few days and your things will have to be moved then anyway. Why bother unpacking only to repeat the process.¡± I shrug off the decision as practical, but the truth, if I¡¯m brave enough to admit it to at least myself, is I want her in my room. In my bed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we need to share a room.¡± She gestures to the open spacing of our home. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of space here for both of us. Once we say the vows, we can avoid each other as much as we want.¡±


    There¡¯s a shimmer of hope in her eyes even as the moments tick by with my silence.


    ¡°You don¡¯t really believe that do you, Lena?¡± I move to her side in case she decides she wants to bolt into her room. I¡¯ve told her never to lock the door against me, but she hasn¡¯t proven to be the most obedient girl so far. A fact I¡¯m not at all surprised or saddened by.


    ¡°Married couples live separate lives all the time.¡± She keeps up the pretense, but the truth fades the light in her eyes. She knows it¡¯s an empty attempt.


    But she¡¯s not wrong either. It¡¯s not as if my father and mother lived one life. My father and his many girlfriends had a life of parties and luxury while my mother stayed home with Igor and me ying the doting wife. She had her own circle of friends, wives of my father¡¯s associates but it wasn¡¯t the same life as my father¡¯s.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t going to be that sort of couple,¡± I say.


    Her eyes narrow as though she¡¯s trying to see past my clothing and into my heart. ¡°What is it you really want, Micah? You¡¯re being forced into this just as much as me, so why won¡¯t you take the easy road here. I¡¯ll stay here, you stay there.¡± She points at the double doors leading to my rooms. ¡°And we¡¯ll say hi at the breakfast table now and then.¡±


    ¡°And children?¡±


    She blinks. Evidently, she hadn¡¯t figured them into her little equation.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need a son, preferably two, and I wouldn¡¯t mind a daughter.¡±


    Her cheeks burst into a blush, but I won¡¯t pretend I¡¯ve triggered her sensibilities. It¡¯s a fresh bout of anger that¡¯s bringing the life to her cheeks. And she¡¯s gorgeous for it.


    ¡°A daughter so you can use her as a pawn, like me? Like my brother¡¯s wife was used?¡±


    When I lean toward her, she presses her hands against my chest.


    ¡°Children, Lena,¡± I whisper into her ear. Her breath catches, and she turns her face away. ¡°You¡¯ll give me children, and to do that you¡¯ll need to be in my bed.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to stay in your room for that to happen.¡±


    Iugh. ¡°Are you always so practical?¡±


    ¡°When it serves my purpose, yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the same.¡± I cradle her face in my hand and caress her cheekbone with my thumb. ¡°And it serves my purpose for you to be in my bed, every night from now on.¡±


    ¡°But we aren¡¯t married.¡±


    ¡°You know as well as I do that the ceremony is a formality at this point. You¡¯re mine, Lena. Our families know it, the other families know it. It seems the only person who hasn¡¯t epted it yet is you. But by the end of the night, you will too.¡±


    Her pretty pink lips part but she says nothing. She doesn¡¯t need to; her pupils have pushed all of her silver blue irises out of the way.


    The elevator doors chime then slide open from down the hall.


    ¡°Boss, where do you want these?¡± one of my men calls to me. Three boxes are stacked on a rolling cart and he¡¯s bringing them toward us.


    I bring my gaze back to hers.


    ¡°My room. All of them.¡±


    I¡¯ve left Lena in my room unpacking her clothing. The closet in my room is the size of a small bedroom. She¡¯ll have plenty of space. Once she saw the closet and the bathroom, she didn¡¯t have much more fight in her about where she¡¯d be spending her nights.


    If only my father would budge so easily from his hopeless ambitions.


    Niko paces my office. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him so obsessed,¡± he says, marching straight for the liquor.


    ¡°You had a nice chat with him then?¡± Any conversation with my father these days would make anyone take a nosedive into a bottle. But Niko handles him better than most. He worked close with Igor and now that he¡¯s my right-hand man, my father trusts him, respects him.


    ¡°Double the girls? Why would he put us in jeopardy like that? It¡¯s not that easy to turn the other way with fifty to sixty women being carted off through the train yard. Security is going to double; more hands will need to be greased.¡±


    Everything he says, I agree with, and he knows it. ¡°I had hoped when he saw the profits from the legitimate businesses, he¡¯d be open to phasing out the girls altogether and sticking to the drug line for extra revenue streams. The coke makes him more money than the girls, with less risk, less overhead. But he¡¯s got it in his head he can expand what Igor created.¡±


    Niko scoffs then downs a finger of vodka.


    ¡°What?¡± I ask, catching the little shake of his head. ¡°What do you know that you aren¡¯t telling me?¡±


    He pours another drink, downs it. After a long pause he turns a serious stare on me. ¡°Igor hated that fucking train,¡± Niko says tly. ¡°Hated it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I press him. Niko was closer to my brother than anyone in our family. Igor didn¡¯t like the business approach I took. Roman coached him well while we were growing up on how to be the head of a family. Our family. It was never lost on me that I was the backup. It¡¯s the only reason I was allowed to get a full education. I was never meant to be the one in power. But Niko worked by Igor¡¯s side. He knew us both well growing up, but his work demanded that he stick by Igor.


    Niko studies me as though assessing the risk of saying what¡¯s on his mind.


    ¡°Before the ident, Igor told me he was going to talk to Roman about closing the stables and expanding the drug line.¡±


    Igor never mentioned it to me, but I wasn¡¯t working the business as hard as Niko and him. I oversaw a small crew and focused on my business studies. The backup son has more freedom to pursue other avenues than being the heir. That is until the backup bes the primary.


    ¡°Did he have the conversation?¡±


    Niko finishes his drink. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t talk to him after that. A few dayster is when he had the ident.¡±


    An ident that involved him and a traffic light. Igor held his liquor like it was just part of his bloodstream, but that night he¡¯d been out of it. Not fit to drive, the bartender had said. Igor wouldn¡¯t be talked into handing over his keys but did promise not to drive home. He didn¡¯t make it two blocks before he wrapped his car and himself around the pole.


    ¡°Roman never said anything.¡± I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose. Even if Igor did have that sit down, Roman wouldn¡¯t have gone along with it. But Igor would have pushed harder; he would have stood up for what he wanted.


    ¡°It¡¯s been two years now. Maybe you can talk with him. You¡¯ve proven yourself. He trusts you.¡±


    Igor wasrger than life to my father; his death only made the shadow that muchrger for me to get lost in. Roman trusts me, yes, but have I proven to him that I can lead this family into the next phase of prosperity?


    Nothing indicates that¡¯s true.


    ¡°I tried to warn him about this expansion, but he won¡¯t listen.¡± I get up from my chair and shake out of my jacket. ¡°I¡¯ll try again after the wedding. Once this whole Staszek mess is behind us, maybe he¡¯ll be more clear-minded.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope.¡± Niko puts his empty ss on the bar. ¡°I need to get over there. The doctor ising tonight to check out the girls in the stables.¡±


    ¡°You know, you don¡¯t have to do that anymore. Roman has his own men to do that. I¡¯m sure Dimitri would be happy to take it over.¡±


    Niko pauses a beat. ¡°Yeah, but I don¡¯t mind. Besides there¡¯s two new girls being brought in.¡±


    What does that have to do with anything? We have men for the small jobs and watching over the doctor while he checks over the girls is one of them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow at the restaurant?¡± Niko says as he heads for the door.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m nning to be there all afternoon. The ountant ising, and I want to meet with a broker about another location.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re expanding already?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. I want to see what the numbers are first. The sooner I get the restaurant booming, the easier it will be to get Roman¡¯s mind off the girls.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure steak and potatoes is going to bring as much profits as those girls but keep trying.¡± Niko winks and leaves, closing the door behind him.


    I sink into my office chair and power up myputer, ready to dive into more numbers. My email loads first and the top subject line erases my interest in work.


    Subject: Lena Staszek School Transcripts & misc.


    One click, and I jump headfirst down a rabbit hole.

 47

    Micah


    Lena¡¯s in the bathroom when I enter the bedroom. Looking around, I find little droplets of her influence. Aptop on the nightstand, a pair of slippers next to the bed. She wants the right side of the bed apparently. Her phone is charging on the dresser. The empty boxes are piled up in the sitting room that separates the bedroom from the small library. One of the things that drew me to this apartment was the master suite. If I moved my office to the library, I¡¯d never have to leave the suite.


    A textbook catches my eye. It¡¯s sitting on the dresser, next to her phone.


    Discovering Psychology.


    After reading over the information I received, the textbook doesn¡¯t surprise me. That she¡¯s left it out does, however.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Her voice carries across the room.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    I snap the book closed and show her the face of it. ¡°Some light reading before bed?¡± I ask, enjoying how the color runs from her cheeks and her eyes widen. She¡¯s wearing a robe and her hair is tied up in a towel on top of her head. Her skin shines from whatever scrub she used, something with a heavy lc scent from what I can tell. The makeup, what little she wears, has been washed away.


    My cock wakes up to the sight of her purity. It¡¯s not because she looks virginal-I have no use for a woman who needs her hand held in bed-it¡¯s the natural beauty she possesses. The confidence rolling off of her as she stands in her robe, ring at me from the bathroom door.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a book.¡± She tries to sound casual, but her gaze fixates on the textbook in my hand.


    ¡°Try again,¡± I prompt.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That was a horrible lie, try again. Go on, I¡¯ll give you another try. If you cane up with something convincing, I¡¯ll let the lies go. But if you can¡¯t do any better, then you¡¯ll have to ept a consequence.¡± The memory of her bare ass draped over my knee pops into my mind, and my dick twitches against the zipper of my pants.


    She worries on her bottom lip. It¡¯s alluring to watch her mind working. Since I already know the truth, nothing she says will work.


    After a long pause she sighs. ¡°It¡¯s just a book I¡¯ve been looking at. It¡¯s nothing.¡± To appear, I assume, like she couldn¡¯t care less if I believe her, she turns away from me and works the towel off her head, letting the long, wet tresses of her hair fall over her shoulders.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even try that time.¡± I thumb through the book thentch onto her re again. ¡°It makes me think maybe you like the consequences for being bad.¡± I level an even stare on her. Her delicate throat works as she swallows hard and I imagine what it would look like to have my hand wrapped around it.


    ¡°You¡¯re imagining things.¡± She snatches the book from my hand and moves to the dresser, opening the top drawer and shoving it inside. When she turns back toward me, her ass presses against the drawer and she folds her arms over her chest.


    ¡°You¡¯re not even a little curious what the consequences will be?¡± I tease. It¡¯s nothingpared to what I¡¯m nning in my mind while she considers her words.


    ¡°I assume more of the same.¡± She lifts a shoulder, the pretense of boredom shattered by the dtion of her pupils. The silver blue of her eyes makes it so easy for me to see her reaction from where I stand. Poor girl has nowhere to hide.


    I slide my hands into my pockets and move to her. She drops her hands to the dresser, gripping the edge. As I inch closer to her, she has to tilt her head back to look up at me.


    ¡°You should never assume with me, princess.¡± I grab hold of the belt tied around her waist and untie it. When she moves to block me, I tsk my tongue. ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way, princess.¡±


    She moves her hands back to the dresser.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡± She grits her teeth.


    I finish untying the belt and the robe spreads open.


    ¡°No.¡± She tries to twist away from me, but I only have to move forward an inch and I have her trapped.


    I pull the robe open more and am surprised to find her nude beneath. A blush creeps up her throat, over her face.


    ¡°Do you think you deserve another spanking?¡± I gently cup her shoulders beneath the satin robe and push it over her arms, until it slides down to the floor. We stand in puddle ofvender satin.


    She clenches her eyes shut and turns her face to the side. I bet she didn¡¯t think this would be happening when she stepped out of my shower.


    ¡°Answer me.¡± I spread my hand over her throat, gently wrapping my fingers around the delicate flesh.


    She brings her fiery eyes to mine. The deep blush on her cheeks is a stark contrast to the blue in her eyes. Her breath is shallow beneath my hand. I¡¯m careful not to squeeze, not yet, not until she trusts me not to hurt her.


    ¡°Lena,¡± I sigh, brushing the tip of my nose against hers. ¡°Tell me, do you deserve another spanking?¡±


    A muffled soundes from deep in her chest. Indecision? Should she admit what she wants? Or does she want me to force her?


    ¡°I¡­ let me have my privacy, Micah. At least until the wedding.¡± Her whispered plea surprises me but doesn¡¯t persuade me.


    ¡°That would be lying to you, then.¡± I pull back enough to see her clearly. ¡°I already know, princess. I know about the secret bank ount. I know about the secret college sses. I already know.¡±


    She swallows beneath my grip. Her breathing picks up; her pulse quickens beneath my fingers.


    The color drains from her cheeks, and I let go of her throat.


    ¡°Rx.¡± I run the back of my hand down her cheek. She¡¯spletely nude, right in front of me, but I have to force myself to ignore it. ¡°Breathe, Lena. I¡¯m not mad. It¡¯s not a bad thing what I found. It¡¯s not bad.¡± I assure her because I¡¯m certain she¡¯s afraid I¡¯m going to ruin all of her secret ns.


    ¡°You dug into my personal life?¡± She raises her chin, closes her eyes, and takes a deep breath. I wait, watching as she works to calm herself, though I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯s trying not to panic or trying not to kill me. When her eyes open again, a fire rages in them.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a man who goes into situations blind,¡± I exin. ¡°We can talk about why you¡¯ve kept it all hiddenter, but first we should discuss the lies.¡± We will talk about it, but right now, I want her in my bed. I want her spread out and calm. I want to show her things don¡¯t have to be harsh between us. We may not have nned our union, but it doesn¡¯t have to be a rtionship filled with hatred and fear.


    ¡°My father would have made me drop the sses if he knew. I only lied because I thought you¡¯d do the same,¡± she tells me. ¡°Can I have my robe back, please?¡±


    Half of my mouth pulls into a grin. ¡°No.¡± I kick the robe away from us, out of reach. ¡°I like you this way, naked and honest.¡±


    She presses her lips together.


    ¡°Well, since you didn¡¯t convince me, and you lied, you¡¯ll have to pay the price.¡± I trail my hand down her arm andce my fingers with hers. ¡°Come.¡± I tug lightly, but she¡¯s already in step with me as I bring her to the bed.


    ¡°Micah-¡± It¡¯s barely a protest as I gesture to the bed.


    ¡°Grab the pillows and make a pile in the middle, theny over them so your ass is propped up for me,¡± I instruct her as I work the buttons on my shirt open.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think¡­ this isn¡¯t right,¡± she says, but grabs two pillows. ¡°It wasn¡¯t really a lie. That book is a book I¡¯m reading.¡±


    Iugh. ¡°It was true enough that you escaped a punishment, yes, but you¡¯re not getting out of this spanking.¡± I tug my shirt off and toss it onto the chair in the corner. My undershirtnds on top of it. I kick out of my shoes and pull off my socks. She nces at me, standing at the side of the bed in only my ck cks, my hands on my belt.


    ¡°You said you weren¡¯t going to punish me.¡± Her gaze wanders over my chest, pausing at the scar on my right pec I received the same night I earned the scar on my jaw, before moving across my stomach and then lower still.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a punishment, Lena,¡± I say, unbuckling my belt. The jangle of the buckle makes her jump, and I can¡¯t help but grin. When I rip it from my pants, the leather zipping across the fabric, her ass clenches. She tucks her bottom lip between her teeth. The signs, so many of them. I wonder if anyone¡¯s ever bothered to pick up on them. ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I want to,¡± she mumbles.

 48

    Iugh. It¡¯s refreshing, a woman who speaks her mind with no ulterior motive. I doubt Lena would know how to manipte someone even if she wanted to. It¡¯s this purity that has me hungering to be inside her, to make her mine.


    She dips her chin when I climb onto the bed beside her. Lightly, I stroke her back, petting her from her neck down to the adorable dimples at the base of her spine. Goose pimples pop up in the wake of my touch. I scrape my teeth across my bottom lip, fighting back the urge to lick her, bite her.


    The idea isn¡¯t to scare her.


    Yet.


    Iy the length of my belt down her back, leaving the buckle on her ass. With my hand, I rub circles into her ass. There¡¯s no marks from her previous spanking. Disappointing, but not surprising. I¡¯d gone easy on her, not knowing how much she could take. But I have a better idea tonight.


    With my left hand, I push her head down to the mattress, fisting her hair at the back of her head.


    ¡°Micah.¡± The thickforter muffles her weak protest.


    ¡°Shh, just rx,¡± I say to her and lightly spank her ass. She stiffens for a moment, more from surprise I¡¯d guess. When she softens, I give her another yful swat. These don¡¯t hurt, but they are preparing her for the ones that will.


    ¡°Spread your legs a little for me.¡± I slide my hand between her thighs and pull one leg toward me. Her back arches and her ass raises. Leaning to the side and forward a bit, her pussy is disyed for me. Her lips part with her position. Already she¡¯s glistening with her arousal.


    I give her another smack to both cheeks, watching as they bounce back into perfect formation. A pink handprint is left behind. That won¡¯t do, it needs to be darker.


    ¡°You¡¯re nicely shaven,¡± I say, then smack her ass again. She groans, but I¡¯m not certain it¡¯s embarrassment over my observation or desperation for my touch.


    I abandon her ass and slide my hand between her legs, cupping her sex. On instinct, she presses her hips into my touch, seeking out satisfaction. I grin down at the back of her head, where my hand is still holding a fistful of her slick wet hair.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± I say more to myself than her, and withdraw my hand. ¡°You¡¯re still learning, you¡¯ll get your rewardter.¡±


    She huffs when my hand is gone.


    ¡°Reward now, teachter,¡± she taunts me.


    I smack her ass hard, leaving a red blotch on her warm skin. She hisses and pulls back from me but I¡¯m not letting her go anywhere.


    ¡°I¡¯ll decide when you¡¯re to be rewarded, princess.¡± I release her hair and drag the belt down the length of her back. Folding it in half, I tuck the buckle in my palm and wrap my left arm around her waist.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She tries to get up from the mountain of pillows she¡¯s draped over, but I hold her firmly against me.


    ¡°Hold still, Lena.¡± I raise the belt and bring it down hard on the upcurve of her ass. She yelps. ¡°One more,¡± I say then give her anothersh across her prepared flesh. It¡¯s not hurting as much as it would on a cold ass, but I¡¯m being generous tonight.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± She ms her fist into the bed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like thatnguage at all.¡± I snap the belt across her ass again and she kicks her foot out. ¡°Should I tie you down?¡± I¡¯m teasing, but she¡¯s not looking at me, so she probably can¡¯t tell.


    She throws her hands in front of her and fists theforter. Bringing it up to her face, she shakes her head.


    ¡°No?¡± I snap the leather across her ass again and again. Each time her thighs tense, her ass clenches, and she makes the sweetest mewling sound. Her toes curl in and her legs shift, opening more for me.


    I deliver three hardshes to her ass without any reprieve between them. She cries out when the belt makes contact for the third time and shoves up to her knees. I let go of the belt and grab her shoulders, turning her toward me. Before she can wipe the hair from her face, I grab hold of her face with my hand and cover her mouth with mine.


    There¡¯s a fire building. A white-hot me growingrger and brighter with each second of our kiss. She brings up her hands, pressing them to my bare chest, but not shoving me away. She inches closer to me until our bodies are touching, until I can feel the hard peaks of her nipples pressed into me.


    I break the kiss, staring down into her eyes; her lips are puffy and well kissed. I want more from her. I want it all.


    While keeping our gaze locked, I reach down and shove the pillows toward the head of the bed. Her hands move to my pants, working the button open, pulling down my zipper.


    The spanking has her eager for me; her movements are quick, frantic really as she shoves my pants over my hips, taking my boxers with them.


    I work my clothes off and let them fall to the floor beside the bed.


    ¡°On your back,¡± I order her, my voice raw with my need for her.


    She scrambles to the pillows, but she¡¯s not fast enough for me. I smack her ass and grab her hips, flipping her to her back in one move. Shends with a soft bounce, a seductive grin tugging on her lips.


    Without another direction, she lets her knees fall to the sides, opening for me, weing me.


    I fist my erection and bring it to her pussy, pushing against her entrance but not entering. Biting the inside of my cheek, I look down at the woman beneath me. Strands of wet hair stick to her cheek, her forehead. Wide eyes stare up at me with a hunger I understand, I feel it too.


    ¡°Ask me, Lena. Ask politely.¡± I lean over her body, kissing her chin, her jaw, her ear. ¡°Be sweet about it,¡± I whisper into her ear.


    ¡°Micah,¡± she breathes out my name as I push forward into her hot passage enough to feel her pussy clench my cock.


    ¡°More. Tell me what you need, princess.¡±


    The moniker has her tensing. Every bit of her. I groan as her body grips my cock and I plow straight into her, not stopping until my balls hit her ass and I¡¯m embedded fully inside her.


    She sucks in a breath and her nails dig into my shoulders.


    I bring my gaze to hers again. ¡°Say it.¡±


    For a second I think she¡¯s going to argue. She¡¯s going to try to prove to me that she will do only what she wants, and she won¡¯t give me the submission I want from her.


    ¡°Fuck me, Micah.¡± She moves her hands from my shoulders to my face, holding me still as she raises her head from the pillows to get closer to me. ¡°Hard.¡±


    I raise an eyebrow.


    ¡°Please,¡± she adds.


    I grab her wrists and pin them next to her head, holding her to the bed as I pull almostpletely free from the hot sheath of her body. In the next instant, I m into her. She moans, draws her knees up and out.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I groan as her movements tighten her pussy around me. I sink into her again and again, plowing faster and harder, until the sounds of our bodies colliding fills the space between us. She arches her back, grinds her hips up at me to meet each of my thrusts.


    ¡°Micah, Micah, Micah,¡± she chants while reaching up to kiss my throat, my shoulder. Her teeth sink into me and it fuels me.


    Electric heat trickles down my spine and my balls pull up tight, ready to explode.


    Letting go of one wrist, I reach between us until I find the swollen, wet bundle of nerves. The instant my finger brushes against her clit, her eyes snap open.


    ¡°You like this? Your little clit yed with?¡± My teasing makes it difficult for me to keep from taking my own release. I circle the nub, around and around, until she¡¯s back to crying out my name. Louder and louder she says it.


    I flick my fingertip across her clit and plow into her hard enough to shake the bed, and in the next second, she unravels beneath me. She screams my name until the sound fades away.


    Her orgasm washes over my cock, hot fluid runs over me, her pussy clenches me. I pump into her again and again and by the third stroke, my own release crashes over me. I still, emptying into her while trying to find air to breathe. My spine tingles; my vision blurs at the edges.


    Finally, air fills my lungs. The fog lifts and I can see clearly. Lena lies beneath me, one hand still pinned to the pillow and a satisfied grin spread across her lips. I let her wrist go and blink several times until my thoughts line up in logical order.


    My cock slips from her pussy and I move back to my knees. She pulls her knees together, but she can¡¯t hide my cum dripping out from her pussy lips. When I drag my gaze back up to her, there¡¯s a soft blush on her cheeks.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go getting shy on me now,¡± I chuckle and climb off the bed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± she says, but contradicts herself by scrambling beneath the covers and pulling them up to her chin. ¡°But can you hand me the robe?¡±


    I pick up the item from the floor and drape it over the chair, out of her reach. ¡°You don¡¯t need it.¡±


    ¡°I left my nightgown in the dresser.¡± She points to the drawers. ¡°The left side.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need that either.¡± I grab my boxers from the floor and use them to wipe her juices from my cock. The mental image of making her lick me clean erupts in my mind, and I have to work hard to shove it away.


    ¡°Why not?¡± she asks when I climb into bed beside her.


    ¡°No clothes are allowed in my bed, princess.¡± I reach over and flick the light switch on the wall beside the bed, throwing the room into darkness.


    She settles under the covers, pulling the pillows close to herself and rolls to her side. With her back to me, I wrap my arm around her middle and drag her across the bed until she¡¯s pressed against me. The woman fits me in every way.


    She smells of lcs and coconut. An oddbination, but I inhale it deeply. The soft scents lull me half asleep. It¡¯s been a long week, and there¡¯s even longer days ahead of us.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a princess,¡± she whispers, and I don¡¯t think I¡¯m supposed to hear her.


    I hug her tightly to me, nudge her shoulder with my chin.


    ¡°Maybe you should be.¡±


    She stiffens but doesn¡¯t respond. I like her this way, soft and pure, and most important-Mine.

 49

    Lena


    It¡¯s odd, this sensation of familiarity and calm with Micah sitting across from me at the breakfast table. His housekeeper is here today, and she filled my te with eggs, bacon, and fresh cut fruit. Everything is delicious, but I didn¡¯t have a chance to tell her before she danced out of the kitchen to get to work.


    ¡°How often does shee?¡± I ask him as he sips his coffee. He drinks it ck while I shovel another spoonful of sugar and cream into mine.


    ¡°Delphia? Three times a week. She¡¯ll leave a few prepped meals in the fridge. But I like to cook for myself most of the time.¡± He looks at my te with a smile. ¡°You have a healthy appetite.¡±


    Only a few bites of the strawberries are left. ¡°Are you saying I eat too much?¡± I try to draw irritation, but the yfulness of his eyes stops me.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s good.¡± He leans back in his chair. ¡°You slept okay?¡±


    I tense, unsure of what to say about our sleeping arrangement. What happenedst night, how easily he turned me into an aroused animal with a few straps of his belt, how can I look at him in the eye this morning?


    ¡°Yeah. Good,¡± I say and hide behind my coffee cup, grimacing at the taste. It¡¯s still too bitter.


    ¡°And you¡¯re feeling all right this morning?¡±


    My cheeks heat with his question. He¡¯s not even being subtle; the joviality of his voice tells me he finds the entire line of questioning amusing.


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling perfectly perfect this morning,¡± I say with a raised chin. I won¡¯t let him bait me into an argument. I do feel good this morning. Last night was the best sleep I¡¯ve gotten in weeks.


    ¡°Good to hear,¡± he says with a wink. ¡°About school.¡± He puts his cup down and leans forward. The yfulness is gone and he¡¯s back to being all stern and serious.


    Of course he¡¯s going to demand that I drop it. I¡¯m to be his wife, and the wife of the Bratva doesn¡¯t hold a career.


    ¡°The next session starts soon, right?¡±


    My gaze flies up to his. There¡¯s no dark brooding re staring back at me, just curiosity.


    ¡°Next month, yes.¡± I remain cautious.


    ¡°Do you have your sses picked?¡±


    I sink in my chair. If he¡¯s giving this to me only to pull it out from me in the next breath, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll be able to keep myself from shoving my fork into his throat.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t enrolled yet, no.¡± I hadn¡¯t worked out which ss to take. If I signed up for more than one, my father might have found out easily.


    ¡°Then you can do that this morning. You can do it online, yes?¡± His eyebrows rise, wrinkling his forehead. His hair is slicked back, and even though he¡¯s shaved there¡¯s a shadow along his jaw.


    I blink away the moment. I can¡¯t keep gawking at him; it will only go to his already arrogant head. ¡°Yes. I can do it online.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± He gets up from the table and pulls his jacket from the back of the chair. ¡°Then do it today, sign up for as many as you need.¡± He fixes the cor of his shirt with the jacket on then pulls out his wallet. ¡°Use that.¡± He drops a credit card on the table next to my te.


    I pick up the stic card. It¡¯s a ck Amex. No limit. Is he crazy to give this to me?


    ¡°You¡¯re okay with me going to school? To get a degree?¡± I run my finger over the edge of the card.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    He walks around the table and cups my chin, pulling my attention up to him. ¡°We are different, you and I. We¡¯re not like our fathers.¡± He kisses me. Warmth runs from my lips down to my very core. I feel like I¡¯m lifting off the chair and I curl my toes into my shoes to keep from floating away. When he pulls away and I blink my eyes open, he¡¯s smiling down at me.


    ¡°Also, there¡¯s a seamstressing today with wedding gowns for you to try on and pick. I expect you to find something from what she brings or tell her what you want and she¡¯ll have it made.¡±


    ¡°By Saturday?¡± I ask with wide eyes. ¡°That¡¯s only three days.¡±


    ¡°More than enough time,¡± he says and buttons the jacket of his suit. ¡°Your brother¡¯s wife ising today too.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I tense beneath his stare. It¡¯s overpowering when he directs such fierceness toward me. I¡¯m not sure he means to do it; power just runs through his veins.


    I shake my head. ¡°No. I don¡¯t want to see her.¡±


    He smiles and touches the tip of my nose. ¡°And who asked if you did or didn¡¯t?¡± He grows serious again. ¡°She¡¯s your brother¡¯s wife. You¡¯ll be gracious, and if I find out you weren¡¯t, you¡¯ll get another taste of my belt that you won¡¯t enjoy so much.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just do that whenever you don¡¯t like something. I¡¯m not a little kid.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll find that I can do whatever I want, whenever I want with you.¡± He leans over me, caging me with one hand on the back of my chair and the other on the edge of the table. ¡°You have brothers and now you have a sister. Be grateful for them.¡±


    A sadness touches his eyes, peeking through the dominant stare he¡¯s settled on me. He had a brother, I remember that.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand you,¡± I say, searching him for a sign as to who the hell he is exactly. One moment he¡¯s nothing more than a powerful man in the Bratva who can and will crush me at his will, and the next he¡¯s insisting I continue my education and wants me to build bridges with my family.


    ¡°I¡¯m not asplicated as you think.¡± He kisses my forehead. ¡°I have meetings all day. We¡¯ll have dinner at the restaurant tonight. Be good to Kasia. Pick a dress and sign up for your sses. If you need to go anywhere, you¡¯ll call me first and I¡¯ll have someone take you.¡± He pushes away from me, though I can still feel his warmth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have your number.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s programmed into your phone.¡±


    ¡°Along with that tracker?¡± I ask, giving him a side nce.


    ¡°Yes, and the tracker will stay on it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that. It¡¯s not like I have anywhere I could run if I wanted to run away.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about you running away.¡± He takes his te and coffee cup to the sink. ¡°My family has enemies, Lena. As does yours. Snatching the daughter of a high-ranking member of the Staszek family is a good way to hurt your father.¡± The irony of his statement hangs between us. ¡°Kidnapping the fiancee of a high-ranking member of my family is just as lucrative to my enemies. It¡¯s for your safety that I know where you are and that one of my men goes with you.¡±


    He¡¯s right, but I don¡¯t concede the point.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to get coffee with my friends,¡± I say as his phone dings, taking his attention away from me.


    ¡°Let me know when, and Dimitri will be here.¡± He taps away on his phone. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at the restaurant eight o¡¯clock.¡±

 50

    The seamstress walks through the main hallway of the apartment straight back toward Micah¡¯s rooms when she arrives. Her introduction was rushed as she waved the two men pushing the racks of dresses off the elevator.


    ¡°Back this way, quickly now,¡± she says and shows them down the hall. Obviously, she¡¯s been here before.


    Dimitri steps off the elevator right before the doors begin to close on him. He¡¯s already frowning. Micah¡¯s cousin hasn¡¯t been anything but civil with me, but there¡¯s a strange sensation that crawls over my skin when he¡¯s around. He obviously thinks being my babysitter for the day is beneath him. I would agree with him and send him on his way, but he¡¯s one of Micah¡¯s men. He¡¯ll do what he¡¯s told. No matter how unpleasant it probably is.


    ¡°Hi. I guess we¡¯ll be in the sitting room.¡± I gesture toward the roaming caravan of gowns and turn on my heel to follow.


    ¡°Your sister-inw will be here in a few minutes.¡± Dimitri plops his bulky form into the chair beside the elevator entry. ¡°I¡¯ll bring her back when she arrives.¡± He pulls out his phone and begins scrolling through his screen.


    Dominik hasn¡¯t texted me or called. This visit has been set up through Micah. No matter my age or my station, I¡¯m still the useless girl who has to have everything done for her.


    ¡°That would be nice, thank you.¡± I force a pleasant tone, practice for when I have to deal with Kasia. Micah¡¯s way of going about gaining my cooperation doesn¡¯t frighten me-not afterst night. I doubt he could ever make me fear his belt after what he did to me, what I begged for him to do to me. But he did have a solid point. She¡¯s my family now, and I should hold on to whatever I can. The Ivanovs can take them away whenever they choose. For now, I¡¯ll be grateful for what I have.


    When I enter the sitting room, the seamstress-a fifty-something-year-old woman with stick-straight shoulder-length hair-flounces around the room giving her two assistants directions. Put that rack there, move this chaise, bring out the tform. It¡¯s a whirlwind of motion, and I stay nted in the doorway and out of the storm.


    ¡°Lena?¡± A gentle hand touches my arm, startling me to her presence.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I face her, keeping my hands at my sides. I may have to be civil, but I don¡¯t have to hug the woman whose actions have condemned me.


    ¡°Hi. I¡¯m Kasia.¡± She fidgets with her purse strap on her shoulder. She¡¯s dressed in a long dark brown knit sweater, ck leggings, and a pair of ck t boots. Her thick, long blonde hair is swept to her right side, wide curls cascade down the sweater. Aside from a light coat of pink lip gloss and mascara that brings out her creamy brown eyes, she¡¯s the picture of natural beauty.


    No wonder Dominik fell so hard for her.


    ¡°Do you have any idea what sort of dress you¡¯re looking for?¡± She moves her gaze to the racks being unpacked to showcase.


    My shoulders sag. ¡°I have no idea. Something¡­ in?¡± I fold my arms in front of me. ¡°Although I think my father would expect something expensive. Something full of beads and pearls. Maybe some diamonds sewn into the seams.¡±


    She looks at me with wide eyes, searching me.


    After a long pause, I grin. ¡°What, they haven¡¯t filled you in on what a spoiled Polish princess I am?¡±


    Her lips pinch together and her eyes flicker back to the seamstress.


    ¡°They haven¡¯t said anything like that,¡± Kasia says when the silence stretches between us.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to cover for my brother. I know what he thinks of me. I¡¯m impulsive, selfish, and reckless. I don¡¯t appreciate everything that they¡¯ve done for me. I¡¯ve heard the lectures lots of times growing up.¡±


    ¡°Dominik has only said good things about you,¡± she says, but I can hear the edge.


    ¡°Dominik has only said that I will do what¡¯s right. He¡¯s promised you not to worry, that I¡¯ll make everything all better because I have no choice.¡± I can¡¯t help the bitterness twisting between my words.


    ¡°He¡¯s said that you¡¯ve been sheltered, but so was I. Our fathers aren¡¯t terribly different when ites to the values they hold for their daughters. Although I will say your father seems a bit kinder. He does love you, Lena.¡±


    The seamstress walks toward us, but I hold up a hand to still her. ¡°Loves me? He¡¯s sold me off to the Ivanovs. Is that something a father does to a daughter he loves? I haven¡¯t even heard from him since he signed me over to his enemy. I understand you married Dominik because your father was no better in that regard, but you were lucky.¡±


    ¡°Lucky how?¡± She narrows her eyes slightly. Whatever pleasantry we skirted around is gone.


    ¡°Dominik is a good man.¡±


    ¡°He is, yes. But when I married him, when he came and took me from my home in the middle of the night, I didn¡¯t know what sort of man he was. I had no idea what I was getting into. All I was to any of them was a pawn to be moved about. Just like you, and I¡¯m sorry for it.¡± She takes a long breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry this has happened. I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s because of what I did, but I¡¯m not sorry I did it.¡±


    I clench my teeth. Dimitri is well within hearing distance, and he¡¯ll no doubt report every word back to Micah.


    ¡°Those women-¡± She takes a shaky breath. ¡°The women my father was transporting like cattle were abused. No one should have to go through what those women have gone through. So no. I¡¯m not sorry that I took them from that fate. If I had to do it again, knowing what the consequences would be, I would do the same.¡±


    She pulls photographs from her purse and shoves them at me. ¡°Those are the women we rescued that night.¡± She points a finger at them as I take the pile from her. Flipping through them slowly, I see the battered women. Bruises, cuts, old scars litter them beneath the dirt and fear clinging to their faces. My stomach twists, remembering the cries of the women in the stable those few nights I was kept there.


    While I was whisked away and given to Micah Ivanov, those women remained. What happened to them after I left? Are they still down there, waiting to be transported, sold into a life of very?


    I hand the pictures back to her, my throat too full of emotion to speak.


    ¡°Micah¡¯s father has so many others,¡± I say when I find my voice. I nce down the hall to find Dimitri engrossed with his phone. ¡°You saved them, but there are more.¡±


    She puts the photographs back into her purse and folds her arms over her chest. Pain crosses her features.


    ¡°I know. It¡¯s an argument I have with your brother often. And now they are marrying you into a family that makes their money by selling these women.¡±


    ¡°You argue with him? Dominik can¡¯t like that.¡± I find a small smile at the image of my brother being argued with by this woman. She¡¯s the same size as me, practically a dwarfpared to my brother.


    She grins. ¡°He doesn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Micah wants to keep that part of his father¡¯s business,¡± I tell her, keeping my voice low so Dimitri can¡¯t hear. I doubt I know anything that he doesn¡¯t, but just in case, I don¡¯t want to cause a problem between Micah and his father.


    ¡°Dominik says the same thing. Micah¡¯s taken on a lot of projects outside his family dealings,¡± she says, but a frown still tugs at her lips.


    ¡°I was surprised Micah was all right with youing over today.¡±


    Kasia¡¯s brows knit together. ¡°It was his idea. He called Dominik this morning.¡±


    Micah nned this?? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    You have brothers and now you have a sister. Be grateful for them.


    I¡¯m not sure what to think about this. About him.


    ¡°If we are going be done before this afternoon, we should get started.¡± The seamstress ps her hands for our attention.


    ¡°Right,¡± I say.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re angry with me, but I want you to know that you can always call me if you need something. If you want to vent, or cry on a shoulder, or just want someone to throw things with, I¡¯m here.¡± Her wordse from a genuine ce of kindness, and thest bit of me that was holding on to my anger fades away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I would have done any differently if I was in your shoes.¡± I admit. ¡°I heard the women in that stable, heard them crying, heard their screams when one of the men came for them-¡± I clear my throat and grab her hands in mine, squeezing. ¡°You did the right thing, Kasia.¡±


    She smiles brilliantly, lightening the mood. ¡°It¡¯s good to have a sister again.¡±


    I squeeze her hands again then turn to the seamstress. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with. What monstrosity do you want me to try on first?¡±


    Kasiaughs, but the seamstress¡¯s jaw cks in shock.


    ¡°I¡¯m kidding,¡± I assure her and walk to the first rack. ¡°Do you have something simple? Nothing frilly or goofy. Just something elegant?¡±


    The seamstress grins and throws her hands up in the air with excitement. ¡°I have just the thing!¡±

 51

    Lena


    It¡¯s eight-thirty by the time Dimitri pulls the SUV up to Micah¡¯s restaurant.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I say to Dimitri as I climb out of the car before he can open my door. When I step onto the pavement, he¡¯s almost reached me with a dark frown on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if Micah asks, I¡¯ll be sure to let him know you opened the doors.¡±


    He shakes his head. ¡°You don¡¯t do anything you¡¯re supposed to do. It¡¯s dangerous,¡± he warns me as he pushes my door closed.


    ¡°How can it be dangerous when I have Micah and his men protecting me?¡± I sh him a smile and head into the restaurant.


    There¡¯s a crowd when I step inside. Business must be good, then. I see a hand burst up over the heads of those standing in front of me, then a woman slightly taller than me gingerly weaves her way through the customers.


    ¡°Ms. Staszek, good evening. Right this way, please.¡± She shes me a bright smile.


    I follow her through the crowded entrance and then through the dining room. Laughter mixes with the background sounds of silverware hitting dishes as I¡¯m led around the tables of diners. Warm scents of their meals rise up and my stomach rumbles in reaction.


    ¡°Mr. Ivanov is waiting for you in the private room in the back. The chef will bring out your meals directly,¡± the hostess exins as we turn down a corridor. There¡¯s a wall of greenery shielding us from the main dining room.


    From ahead of us, a door opens and a ck-haired woman steps into the corridor, pulling the door closed behind her. She checks her phone, adjusts the strap of her dress, then stalks toward us. When passing, she shes a grin and a wink. I stop, wanting to take another look. She didn¡¯t look familiar, but she seemed to know who I am.


    ¡°Mr. Ivanov has been in meetings all afternoon,¡± the hostess says as a way of exining away the woman maybe.


    ¡°He¡¯s a very busy man,¡± I mutter and follow her the rest of the way to the same door the mystery woman exited.


    ¡°Would you like something to drink? There¡¯s a bottle of wine avable already in the room, but if you¡¯d like something else, I¡¯ll have the bartender bring it over directly.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s fine. Wine is good,¡± I say.


    She nods. ¡°Have a pleasant evening, Ms. Staszek.¡± She leaves me at the door and hurries back down the corridor. Her station¡¯s been left empty and from the crowd size, I¡¯d say she¡¯s probably going to be met with some angry faces.


    When I enter the room, Micah¡¯s on the phone pacing the floor. He catches my gaze and stops; his eyes wander down my body then back up. An appreciative smile tugs the corners of his lips.


    ¡°Get back to me tonight. I have to go.¡± He clicks off his call before waiting to hear the response from the other end.


    I run my hands over my hips. Kasia talked me into wearing this deep purple cocktail dress. The plunging V neckline dips enough that the swell of my breasts invites his stare to linger. The dress hits just above my knee, but the high heels lengthen my legs and give me some height.


    Micah drops his phone onto the table on his way to me, his eyestched onto mine. He prowls the same way I imagine a tiger stalks its dinner. There¡¯s a flutter in my stomach at the determination in his eyes, and I want more.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m a littlete. Traffic was bad,¡± I say.


    He reaches his hand to my chest and picks up the single diamond on my chain. My skin heats where his fingertips touched.


    ¡°Dimitri told me.¡± He thumbs the diamond. ¡°Were you a good girl today, Lena?¡± he asks, dropping my ne and arching a single eyebrow.


    ¡°I ordered a dress if that¡¯s what you mean.¡±


    ¡°And your sses?¡± he prompts.


    ¡°I registered for three,¡± I answer.


    ¡°And your visit with Kasia?¡± He tilts my head back with his fingers beneath my chin. ¡°You behaved?¡±


    If Dimitri already informed him about the traffic, there¡¯s no doubt he¡¯s already tattled about my visit with my sister-inw.


    ¡°I did.¡±


    The dim lighting in the room casts his face in a shadow, giving him a more dangerous look than normal.


    ¡°The hostess said there¡¯s a bottle of wine in here?¡± I say after too many moments tick by and he¡¯s still staring down at me ready to take his first bite.


    He releases my chin. ¡°There is.¡±


    I tear my gaze from him, looking over at the table. The ces have already been set on each side of the table that could easily sit eight people. In the center is a tall vase filled with orchids, and two lit candles nk the vase on either side. A bottle of wine sits beside two empty winesses next to one ce setting. I assume that¡¯s where he¡¯ll be sitting.


    ¡°Were you expecting a romantic dinner?¡± I ask with a smile when I bring my eyes back to his.


    ¡°When I said I wanted this room for us tonight the staff took it upon themselves,¡± he exins. ¡°They did a good job.¡±


    ¡°Did you have a good day?¡± I change the subject. Romance isn¡¯t necessary between us, and I won¡¯t have him thinking that I¡¯m any more of a princess he already considers me to be.


    His eyebrows furrow together. ¡°My day?¡± he asks as though the question confuses him.


    ¡°Yes. Did you have a good day? Your meetings. Work,¡± I repeat. Has no one ever bothered to ask this man about his day?


    ¡°It was-productive.¡±


    Iugh. ¡°Productive? Is that how you measure your days? If you¡¯ve moved the needle or not?¡±


    ¡°How else do you suggest I measure it?¡± He tilts his head, genuinely curious.


    I nk for moment. How would a high-ranking member of the Bratva measure his day?


    ¡°Did you have to kill anyone today?¡± I blurt the question.


    His eyes go wide, shocked, probably that I had the stupidity to put those words together verbally. Once he recovers from my bluntness, his lips spread wide in a grin that produces a deep crease on the side of his mouth. The scar on his jaw even flickers with his amusement.


    ¡°No. No, I didn¡¯t,¡± he answers, keeping his smile in ce.


    ¡°Well, then I¡¯d say you had a good day.¡± I shrug. ¡°As well as everyone else in Chicago.¡±


    Heughs; it¡¯s a hearty sound,ing from the depth of his chest. Micah grabs my hand and brings it to his mouth where he kisses the inside of my wrist.


    ¡°My day was good, then. How was yours?¡± He leads me to the table, to the chair opposite the wine. I sit down as he holds the chair for me, tucking me in at the table before moving to his seat.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already told you,¡± I remind him. ¡°Can I have a ss?¡± I point at the wine. He¡¯s sitting and not touching it.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    He pours a ss for me and pushes it across to me. I have to reach for it but snag it without spilling. When I look back up at him, I catch his eyes fixating on my breasts.


    In some ways, boys never stop being boys.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I take a sip of the wine. No matter how many times he¡¯s stared me down, every time feels like the first. My nerves might need more than a few sips of the warm red wine.


    ¡°You said what you did, you didn¡¯t say how it was.¡± He waves his hand in the air and a hidden door behind him opens. Waiters fill the room, bringing us each a ted meal and fresh sses of water. A basket of warm bread is ced on the table.


    The aroma of the te demands I take in the dish before me.


    ¡°Pierogi?¡± I pick up my fork. They¡¯re smaller than I¡¯ve had before, more round, but they smell simr.


    ¡°No. Pelmeni,¡± Micah corrects me. ¡°A meat-filled dumpling.¡±


    Heat hits my cheeks at my ignorance. Of course he wouldn¡¯t serve a Polish meal at his restaurant.


    ¡°Right. It looks delicious,¡± I say, cutting into one of them. My mouth waters.


    ¡°So, how did your visit with Kasia go?¡± He repeats his question.


    ¡°It went all right,¡± I answer after I swallow the vorful bite. ¡°It will be nice to have a sister,¡± I add and take another sip of my wine.

 52

    Micah doesn¡¯t touch his meal while I devour mine. When I catch him smiling at me, I pause with my fork halfway to my mouth.


    ¡°No, no, eat,¡± he says when I start to put my fork down. ¡°I had ate lunch.¡±


    I finish thest bite then ce my fork over the te. I could eat three more servings, but I¡¯ve embarrassed myself enough for one night.


    As soon as my fork hits the te, two waiters rush into the room and clear away our dishes and the untouched basket of bread.


    ¡°Dessert?¡± one of them asks, pausing near Micah.


    ¡°Please, no,¡± I say, touching my hand to my stomach.


    Micah gives a small shake of his head, and the waiter disappears through the kitchen door. Before the waiter closes the door, he flicks atch.


    ¡°They won¡¯t be back until I unlock the door,¡± Micah exins when he catches me staring.


    ¡°Everything was delicious,¡± I say as the silence stretches between us. ¡°I can see why you have so many people waiting to get in.¡±


    ¡°The reservation bookings are full for the next three months,¡± he tells me.


    ¡°Three months? Then what was all that at the front? I thought they were waiting for a table.¡±


    ¡°We leave four tables for drop-ins, people wait over two hours to be seated.¡± He grins. ¡°People passing by see the crowd and they are intrigued about the restaurant.¡±


    ¡°So, you use customers as bait to drive in more customers.¡± I smile. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s working well so far.¡±


    ¡°And do you think you¡¯ll open another restaurant? Out by Dominik there¡¯s mostly chain restaurants. Something unique like this could do well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hoping to expand, yes.¡± He drums his fingers on the tabletop. ¡°What did you and Kasia talk about this afternoon?¡±


    The question sucks the wind from my lungs. Dimitri wasn¡¯t as oblivious to us as I thought. And he¡¯s told Micah everything.


    ¡°Are you afraid she¡¯ll save more women from your father¡¯s stable?¡± The questiones out harsher than I intended, but there¡¯s no taking it back.


    He narrows his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of what will happen to my wife if she acts against my father.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your wife yet,¡± I remind him.


    ¡°You will be in short order, Lena, and I don¡¯t want you doing anything against my father. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°What your family does-¡± I look away. ¡°It¡¯s wrong. Worse than wrong.¡±


    His fingers curl into a fist on the tabletop but his expression remains soft. ¡°I will worry about my family business. You will worry about going to school, getting good grades, being my wife, and raising our children.¡±


    ¡°Is there a rush for children?¡± I ask. ¡°Because I can¡¯t¡­ I¡¯m not able to be pregnant yet.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°I have an imnt. It¡¯s good for another year.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t mention it before.¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t had a real conversation about our marriage before,¡± I point out. ¡°We don¡¯t even know each other, Micah. Can we not wait for children at least a year?¡±


    He stares at me in silence. His thoughts could be anywhere, but I can¡¯t read him. I can¡¯t tell what he wants.


    ¡°You¡¯ll stay away from my father¡¯s business dealings? I can¡¯t control Kasia, but I will not have you involved.¡± His hand ttens on the table. ¡°I¡¯m asking you to trust me on this, Lena. I know we aren¡¯t close yet, but I want your trust. I will handle the stable.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ll give me a year before we try to bring children into this?¡± It¡¯s a horrible deal, and one I¡¯m not entirely sure I can honor. If Kasia has a n, if she needs help, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll be able to tell her no. But so far, she has no ns to do anything, so it¡¯s a safe deal to strike.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have a year,¡± he promises me.


    ¡°Okay.¡± I nod. ¡°I can do that.¡±


    ¡°My father won¡¯t hesitate to hurt your family if there¡¯s any more meddling. I don¡¯t want you caught up in that.¡± Concern underlines his statement, making it easier to concede for the moment.


    ¡°Kasia isn¡¯t going to do anything, Micah,¡± I reveal. ¡°She only showed me the pictures of the girls she saved that one night. She wanted me to understand why she did what she did.¡±


    ¡°And do you?¡±


    I raise my chin. ¡°I do. I would have done the same, I think, in that situation. Those women-¡± I stop my words before the raw anger returns and I end up fighting with Micah. It¡¯s been a good evening. Ruining it now would serve no purpose.


    Micah¡¯s chair moves smoothly across the floor as he rises. Walking toward me, he pins me in ce with another hungry stare. When he reaches me, his fingertips run along my jaw, capturing several strands of my hair that he tucks behind my ear.


    ¡°You¡¯re much stronger than I anticipated.¡± His admission surprises me. ¡°More willful but not in the brat sort of way I expected.¡± He gently picks up my hand and helps me up from my seat, pulling me close into his chest.


    ¡°You did call me a brat at first,¡± I remind him.


    Heughs. ¡°I thought for sure you were a spoiled brat. But I was only going off rumors; now I have the real thing in my hands I can see that¡¯s not the case.¡± He trails one finger along my jaw, then down to my shoulder.


    ¡°Because I speak my mind, that¡¯s why people think I¡¯m a brat. They think I should be quiet and follow orders like a good little girl.¡± I enclose his finger in my hand and bring it to my mouth. ¡°But that¡¯s not me.¡± I wrap my lips around the tip of his finger and gently suck.


    His jaw tightens and a low rumble crawls up from his chest. I don¡¯t bother hiding my victorious grin as I pull his finger out of my mouth, dragging it across my lips.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t tease me, Lena.¡± He rips his finger from my grip and snatches my wrist, yanking me into his chest.


    I tilt my head back as far as I can to look up at him. ¡°Who said I¡¯m teasing?¡±


    His chest vibrates with an animalistic growl. ¡°Go to the door and lock it so we won¡¯t be disturbed by anyone identally walking in here,¡± he directs me, spinning me away from him. The waitstaff can¡¯te in through the kitchen, but someone coulde in from the hallway.


    ¡°Lock it?¡± I wrinkle my forehead.


    He smacks my ass. ¡°That¡¯s what I said.¡±


    Maybe I¡¯ve bit off more than I can chew with my teasing, but the heat spreading across my body is too inviting to ignore. I make my way to the door, making sure to keep my steps slow and graceful.


    ¡°Stay there,¡± he says after I¡¯ve flicked the lock on the handle. I cross my arms over my chest and stick out a hip.


    Micah pulls a chair from the table and flips it around so he¡¯s facing me. He makes a show of pulling off his jacket and draping it over the back of the chair. Easily, he unbuttons his sleeves and rolls them up to his elbows.


    My ass twitches in remembrance of thest time he prepared himself like this.


    ¡°You said yourself I was good today,¡± I say, cringing inwardly at my own voice. I shouldn¡¯t be so willing to let him punish me at his will, but if he were to crook his finger at me now and tell me to lie over hisp, I would.


    He finishes with his sleeves and scoots his ass up on the seat, hooking his thumbs into his belt.


    ¡°You were a good girl, and now I want to see if you¡¯re going to make good on your tease, or not.¡± He eyes the floor before my feet. ¡°Get on your hands and knees, Lena, and crawl to me. Show me that you can be my obedient good girl. Not for anyone else, but for me.¡±


    My cheeks erupt in mes at the suggestion, but it takes only a moment¡¯s hesitation before I¡¯m doing exactly as he¡¯s instructed. I pull up the hem of my dress to keep it from getting in the way as I sink down to the floor. I inhale a slow breath, then raise my chin until my gaze locks on his.


    One hand forward, then my knee, then my hand again, I crawl inch by inch toward this man who looks ready to devour me if I get too close. I can¡¯t deny how wet I am by the time I arrive at his leather loafers. His legs are spread, and he looks down through them at me.


    I inch closer, between his thighs, toward the part of him I want now. His hands still cover his belt.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Open your mouth, Lena. Show me you¡¯re ready for me, ready to suck my cock.¡±


    His words are crude and crass, and exactly what makes my body respond. I lean back onto my heels and open my mouth for him.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± he smiles, and there¡¯s that crease again. It gives him a yful charm, but I won¡¯t misunderstand it as weakness. This man can take whatever he wants; I don¡¯t forget that.


    He works his belt open quickly, pulling his zipper down and opening his pants in front of me. He shoves his pants and boxers down, letting them fall to his ankles. I maneuver to fit between his knees and not kneel on his discarded cks.


    With a fist around his cock, he reaches the other hand out to my head, touching me lightly. I don¡¯t need any more hints; I lean forward and wrap my lips around his thick head. I smile as the hiss of his pleasure hits my ears.


    ¡°Hands behind your back, princess,¡± he says, and for the first time ites out as an endearment instead of an insult. I fold my hands together behind my back and bob down on his cock. He¡¯s long and thick; he fills my mouth and hits the back of my throat before I¡¯ve reached the base of his cock.


    ¡°Swallow,¡± he says, pushing my head further down until I choke. ¡°No.¡± His gentle touch turns into a firm fist in my hair as he holds me down on his cock. ¡°Swallow and take me, Lena. All the way.¡±


    Tears prick my eyes as I swallow him down, breathing through my nose, and desperately struggle not to gag on him. Inch by inch, I get more of him down my throat. As I swallow again, the coarse curls at the base of his cock tickle my nose.


    ¡°Blyad,¡± he groans. Fuck. I don¡¯t know many words in hisnguage, but that one I¡¯m familiar with. ¡°So good, baby.¡± He lets me up but only for one deep breath before he pushes me back on his cock.


    ¡°Again, princess. Swallow me whole.¡± He shoves harder, faster this time and I have to quickly work to amodate his size in my throat. Once he hits the back of my throat, he drops his grip from my hair.


    I bob down on his cock again, licking the underside of his dick as I make my way down, and sucking hard as I withdraw. His hands move to the side of my face.


    ¡°Hold still,¡± he orders, his voice raw. I stop moving, but it¡¯s only a moment before he¡¯s thrusting upward at me. Fucking my throat from beneath me. I swallow as best I can, open for him as tears roll down my cheeks.


    I grip tighter on my wrist behind me to keep from reaching forward.


    Harder and faster he thrusts, and I steel myself for his impending orgasm. For the hot ropes of his cum that will spray my mouth, down my throat.


    But it¡¯s not to be.


    He yanks from my mouth, pushing me gently back as he sucks in deep breaths. He curses again in Russian, but I don¡¯t know these words. ncing up at his expression, I can see he¡¯s frustrated. I run my tongue over my lips, gathering the strings of saliva that have escaped.


    ¡°Come here, princess.¡± He reaches down and helps me to my feet. With my hands still behind me and still wearing my heels, I need his assistance, so I don¡¯t fall on my face-or his.


    Hisrge, warm hands glide up my legs, beneath my dress until he reaches my panties. Hooking his thumbs into the stic band, he drags them back down, letting them fall to my feet.


    ¡°Step out,¡± he says, watching me obey him. I think it makes his cock even harder.


    Once my panties have been properly discarded, he pushes my dress up over my hips, exposing mepletely to his view. I close my eyes and turn away. Last night was somewhat easier because his gaze didn¡¯t linger.


    ¡°How wet are you?¡± he asks, looking up at me, his finger poised to slip between the folds of my pussy. My clit pulses at the thought of his touch.


    ¡°Very,¡± I say, running my tongue over my now dry lips.


    He brings his knees together and fists his cock again. It glistens with my saliva still.


    ¡°Ride me, princess. Keep your hands where they are,¡± he orders when I start to move them.


    My shoulders burn, but I¡¯m not ready to chance disobeying him, so I keep them where they are. I step forward, straddling hisp, lining his cock up with my aching pussy.


    ¡°Down.¡± He grips my hip and guides me down onto his cock. I stretch around his head, and I pause for a moment. He feels bigger this way. ¡°Down,¡± he says again, moving his hand from my hip to smack my ass.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard like this,¡± I say, but he shows no mercy.

 53

    ¡°Then let me help.¡± Once the tip of his cock is inside me, he grabs my hips with both hands and yanks me down onto hisp. Instantly I¡¯m full of his dick, and I groan, the sound wing its way out of my throat.


    ¡°There.¡± He¡¯s breathing harder. At least I¡¯m not the only one affected.


    I nce at the door where the waiters came through earlier. ¡°The staff.¡±


    ¡°They know better than toe in if the doors are locked,¡± he assures me and lifts my hips, showing me what he wants. And the moment he ms me down back on hisp and my clit brushes the rough curls at the base of his cock, I don¡¯t need his help anymore.


    ¡°Blyad, yes. Just like that, princess.¡± He throws his head back as I ride him, moving faster up and down on his cock. My thighs tremble, my belly tightens, and my cunt constricts around him.


    I¡¯m so close to the edge, I forget about my hands and throw them forward, grabbing onto his shoulders as I ride him like the beautiful specimen he is. But he won¡¯t have it. He grips my wrists and pries them behind me. Lifting from the chair, he matches my movements and he¡¯s fucking me just as hard as I¡¯m fucking him.


    Everything inside of me shakes. My heart is in my throat pounding.


    ¡°Lena.¡± He leans forward and bites my throat. The sharp prick shoots electric jolts straight to my core and I¡¯m flying so close to the sun, I¡¯m going to burn up.


    ¡°Micah! Micah!¡± I cry out his name, chasing after what he will give me, what I want him to give me.


    But he¡¯s not done with me.


    As I ride him, he slips his hands down my ass, spreading my cheeks far apart. I freeze.


    ¡°Have you ever been fucked here?¡± He taps a fingertip to my asshole.


    I blink, sure I heard him wrong.


    ¡°Have you ever been fucked in the ass, Lena?¡± he asks again, the yful smile dangling from his lips.


    ¡°N-no, Micah.¡± I dig my nails into my wrist. His mind works for a long beat. With another thrust upward, he grins wide. Before I can catch up to his movements, his finger pushes through my tight muscle and he¡¯s in my ass.


    I tense, but he¡¯s not letting me have a moment to process. As it is, the burn, the stretch adds to the white-hot fire burning in my stomach. Each stroke as he fucks my ass with his finger drives me closer and closer to the mes that will consume me.


    ¡°On our wedding night,¡± he announces, thrusting up at me. ¡°I¡¯ll take yourst bit of virginity. I¡¯m going to fuck your ass, Lena.¡± He shoves his finger further into my ass, filling me, as he makes his deration. ¡°You¡¯ll be truly mine then.¡±


    I grind my hips against him, chasing after the impending explosion.


    ¡°Say it,¡± he orders me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be yours. Truly yours.¡± My thighs burn but I ride him harder, faster. It¡¯s so close. ¡°Please,¡± I beg.


    He bites my neck again and curls his finger inside my ass. A spark flickers, another and another until my entire body shakes with my release.


    ¡°Micah, Micah, Micah!¡± Each time I say his name a new wave of ecstasy washes over me. Every nerve ending in my body splits into two, sending shockwaves of pleasure through my body, sending my mind into a tailspin.


    Slowly, the pleasure fades into a warm hum, and my vision focuses on Micah. He¡¯s grinning-proud of himself I¡¯m sure.


    He bucks up at me, slipping his finger from my ass to grab my hips. Holding me in ce, he thrusts into me over and over again, and I take each pump of his cock with a new arousal beginning to flicker to life. Over and over again he fucks me until his own release sweeps him away.


    With a grunt, he falls forward, his head tucks into the crook of my neck. His cock twitches inside me as streams of his hot cum spray into me.


    Slowly, I let my armse forward and wrap them around him. His warm breath rushes over my shoulder as the grip of his release lessens.


    He pulls back from me, looking up at me as though he¡¯s unsure how we got there. It onlysts a moment before he sits back in the chair and cups my face.


    ¡°Such a good girl,¡± he says and brings me to him for a kiss. Less possessive than before but filled with just as much passion. My lips tingle from his touch when he releases me.


    ¡°Can you hand me a napkin,¡± I say after another moment passes in silence.


    He throws me another devilish smile. ¡°No. Put your panties back on. My cum can soak your panties, your dress, and your thighs for the rest of the night.¡±


    ¡°Rest of the night?¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    His grin widens, showing off his perfectly white teeth. ¡°I¡¯m suddenly very hungry. I think I¡¯ll have dinner now while you sit in your chair.¡±


    Before I can argue, he leans to the side and swipes my panties from the floor. They dangle on a single finger between us.


    ¡°Micah, they¡¯ll know,¡± I say as I take them.


    He nods. ¡°Yeah, probably. I don¡¯t give a fuck.¡± He sweeps my hair behind my ear again.


    I pinch my lips together. ¡°You¡¯re impossible.¡±


    Heughs. ¡°So are you. We¡¯ll make a good pair, yet.¡±


    I can¡¯t help but feel a balloon of hope begin to fill in my chest. Maybe Kasia was right. Maybe this isn¡¯t the worst thing that could happen to me.


    Maybe everything will be all right.


    Micah


    It¡¯s five o¡¯clock when we arrive at my father¡¯s estate for the celebration dinner. The house is already buzzing with guests when I escort my fiancee inside. At seeing the amount of people milling about in the living room, she steps closer to me and slips her hand into mine.


    I give her a squeeze. She has nothing to fear here, but it¡¯s understandable she¡¯d be nervous. None of her family or friends are here; my father forbade it. Another way he aims to make Lena ufortable, and hopes somehow this will hurt her family.


    Roman¡¯s old-fashioned ways of doing things don¡¯t work the way they used to. Joseph Staszek wants peace; he just wants to do business without worry of constant retaliation. But Roman doesn¡¯t think this way. My father is myopic. It will have to be addressed soon.


    ¡°Who are all these people?¡± Lena asks as I lead her down the hall to the winding staircase that will take us up to our rooms.


    I nce around at the faces. The sneers I see on some of their faces when they notice Lena send an angry shiver through me. She is to be my wife, and if anyone does anything to hurt her, they will have to deal with me.


    ¡°Some family, friends, my father¡¯s associates.¡± I step up onto the stairs and tug her along. ¡°Let¡¯s get you upstairs and away from them all until we¡¯re needed.¡±


    She follows me, but nces back down the stairs. ¡°Aren¡¯t we needed now?¡±


    ¡°Dinner won¡¯t be for another hour or two. You can change and get ready up in our rooms.¡±


    Once we step onto thending, she tugs me to a stop. ¡°I¡¯m already dressed.¡± She looks down at the dark brown dress she¡¯s wearing. Her hair is ited into a thick braid then wound around into a heavy bun at the nape of her neck, showing off her delicate ears. I wouldn¡¯t mind skipping the entire show to have a few minutes to nibble on them.


    ¡°You picked out two dresses with the seamstress.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I thought the other was for the reception tomorrow night,¡± she exins with a frown. It dawns on me that she has had no involvement in this wedding nning at all. While some women deal with every minute detail of their wedding, Lena has been denied every step.

 54

    I bring her to the rooms we¡¯ll be using while staying with my father. One night. It¡¯s all I¡¯ll put up with. After the wedding, I¡¯m taking my wife home.


    Once we¡¯re inside the seating area of our suite, I lock the door.


    ¡°There won¡¯t be a reception,¡± I inform her. ¡°Just a small luncheon.¡±


    She pushes a half smile onto her lips. ¡°I suppose taking a Polish girl for your wife isn¡¯t much to celebrate.¡± The statementcks sincerity.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go getting soft on me, princess.¡± I squeeze her hand then let go, showing her the rest of the suite. ¡°There¡¯s a bedroom through that door.¡± I point to the right of the sitting room. ¡°Our bedroom is through that door.¡± I spin on my heel and point to the room on the left. ¡°Each bedroom has an attached bathroom. The seamstress will be here in the morning to help you dress.¡±


    ¡°I can dress myself,¡± she says softly.


    I grin. ¡°I¡¯m sure the dress needs a few pairs of hands for hooks and zippers. Let her help.¡±


    ¡°Kasia will be here too.¡±


    My eyebrows rise. ¡°Good. That will be good.¡± She needs someone on her side tomorrow. Plus, it will keep Kasia away from my father. He doesn¡¯t need another reason to make a scene tomorrow, and it will be difficult day for Lena-I won¡¯t add to it by letting my father loose on her family.


    ¡°The dress for tonight is in the bedroom.¡± I open the double doors and gesture for her to follow me.


    ¡°Your father has a beautiful home,¡± she says as she steps into the bedroom. She wanders to the dresser where family photos are lined up.


    ¡°That¡¯s Igor.¡± I step behind her and point to the photo she¡¯s holding. ¡°My older brother.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s handsome.¡± She puts the photo down. ¡°Imagine, if he were still here, I¡¯d be marrying him instead?¡± she teases with a littleugh, but quickly covers it with her hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, that was insensitive. I didn¡¯t mean to be rude.¡±


    I grab her wrist and spin her around to face me. With my fingertips I brush away little stray hairs from her cheeks and kiss her forehead.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t rude,¡± I assure her. ¡°And if Igor was still here, you probably wouldn¡¯t be here at all. He would have protected that shipment. He would have been more involved in that business and my father wouldn¡¯t have even tried to work with the Polish.¡±


    She tilts her head to the side. ¡°You think it¡¯s a bad thing that you¡¯ve distanced yourself from that part of your father¡¯s world?¡±


    I nce back at the photograph. ¡°Igor was a strong leader. He was raised to be my father¡¯s heir while I was raised to have a mind for business.¡±


    With a featherlike touch, she brushes her fingers across my jaw. ¡°You¡¯re a good man, Micah.¡± She pinches my chin in the same manner I¡¯ve done with her dozens of times, and I give her the moment. ¡°As good as a man can be in the world we live in. Did Igor agree with your father about-the girls?¡±


    I gently tug her hand away from my chin. ¡°He was not as passionate about it as my father.¡± It¡¯s all I¡¯ll tell her. Niko has given me hints into my brother¡¯s thoughts that make me believe he might have been more against my father¡¯s ns than I could have imagined.


    ¡°You¡¯ll do what¡¯s best for your family. And you can do it without the stable.¡± She says the word as though it burns like acid on her tongue.


    I grab her by the back of her neck and drag her to me. She ttens her hands against my chest, stabilizing her stance, tilting her face up toward me. She knows what I want, and she wants it, too.


    Moving up on her toes, she brushes her lips across mine. When she lowers herself, she¡¯s smiling up at me, proud of herself I¡¯m sure for being so bold. It¡¯s that action that triggers the most animalistic growl from my chest.


    Her smile broadens and I kiss those full lips of hers, tasting the berry vor of her lip gloss. She wraps her arms around my waist, holding me as I deepen the kiss. Leaning into me, she opens to me, trusting me. It¡¯s a drug, her trust. I began this whole thing with her as an order from my father. A job to humiliate our enemy, but here I am kissing her and not wanting to stop. I hold her against me, wanting to protect her and shield her from anyone who might do her harm.


    I break the kiss, pressing my forehead to hers and gently rubbing my nose against hers. Our quickened breath mingles between us, as we stand in silence. I can¡¯t put words to the emotion building inside of me. I only know that I want more of it and would kill to keep it.


    ¡°I have to meet with my father before dinner,¡± I say, reluctantly pulling away from her.


    She brushes her hand across her cheek and raises her chin. ¡°I guess I¡¯m supposed to stay here until I¡¯m called?¡±


    ¡°Would you stay if I told you to?¡± I ask yfully.


    She lifts a single shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, really. It is a big estate, and I could probably wander a bit before someone stopped me.¡±


    My father¡¯s men would stop her the second she stepped off the stairs, but I don¡¯t want to tempt her to test it.


    ¡°Then be good for me. Not because I¡¯m ordering you to stay here, but because it will please me if you obey me in this.¡± If my men heard me be so gentle in my approach, they¡¯d probably demand my balls on a tter.


    But Lena isn¡¯t one of my soldiers. She¡¯s to be my wife. I will always expect obedience, but she¡¯s not someone to be crushed. She¡¯s not my enemy.


    Contrary to what Roman thinks.


    She hooks her hand into my pants, tugging on the buckle of my belt. ¡°And what prize do I get for being a good girl for you?¡±


    ¡°Careful with your teasing,¡± I warn her with a smile, dragging her hand down to my erection.


    Her bottom lip is trapped between her teeth.


    ¡°Be a good girl and I¡¯ll make you feel good. Be naughty and you won¡¯t be sitting at the luncheon tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Or you could make me feel good now-incentive to be goodter.¡± She reaches up and kisses my cheek.


    I force myself to step back and pull away from the very temptation I can¡¯t deny.


    There isn¡¯t much time before dinner, and I need to talk with Niko before I talk with my father. ¡°Incentive is the reward, princess.¡±


    She sighs. ¡°Fine. What time do I need to be downstairs?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯lle get you so we can walk down together.¡± There will be less intimidation with me at her side.


    ¡°Okay then.¡± She saunters away and plops down on the bed. ¡°I¡¯ll just sit here until youe fetch me.¡±


    Her exaggerated sigh makes me grin. She may look yful and sweet now, but I have no doubt if pricked, this woman could pull the heads off her enemies.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°You do that, princess.¡± I adjust my cock. Good or bad, I¡¯m fucking her once we¡¯re alone tonight. Her behavior will only determine how much she enjoys it.


    I move toward the double doors. ¡°Be good, Lena. I¡¯m serious. Control your temper and your mouth tonight. No matter what my father does or says, or anyone else, don¡¯t let them climb under your skin.¡±


    She screws up her lips to the side and shrugs.


    It¡¯s the best I¡¯m going to get without provoking her and time is not on my side.


    I shake my head and shut the doors behind me.


    If only I could keep her locked in there all night. It¡¯s really the only surefire way to be certain she doesn¡¯t cause trouble.


    Keeping her chained down would be a good option, too. I force myself to stop imagining her bodyid out for me with arms and legs tied to the posts of the bed.


    The more I think about sinking my cock into her, the more fevered my prayer that she behaves tonight.

 55

    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± I rub my temples. A heavy throb has taken root ever since Niko started talking. As soon as I¡¯d stepped off the stairs, he¡¯d grabbed me for a private conversation.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t being to you with this if I wasn¡¯t positive.¡± He wipes his hand across his mouth.


    ¡°And you¡¯ve found her?¡±


    ¡°Micah. Niko. Here you are.¡± My father bursts into the library where we¡¯ve hidden away to have a private conversation. ¡°We have guests. You should be talking with them, mingling.¡± He closes the door, keeping his back to it and blocking our exit.


    ¡°Niko was just giving me some information I asked him for. We were just about to go out.¡± I move from my position near the writing desk, but my father¡¯s eyes narrow on me.


    ¡°What information?¡±


    ¡°Restaurant rted.¡± I wave my hand to clear the suspicion from the room. I¡¯ve never lied to my father before, not even as a child was I so brave. But until Niko and I can finish this conversation, I¡¯m not bringing my father into it.


    He flicks his gaze to Niko, who nods in agreement with me, before finally rxing his stance.


    ¡°You can deal with the restaurantter. Right now, I want a quick word with you before we go out.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you at dinner,¡± Niko says as he heads to the door, but Roman stops him.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Go fetch the Polish girl. Bring her to the dining room; I have the guests being seated now. I want her brought in once they are allfortable.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll escort her to dinner,¡± I interject, but my father shakes his head.


    ¡°No. Niko will bring her down in fifteen minutes. You will already be in your seat.¡±


    ¡°What are you nning?¡± I ask him.


    ¡°Go, Niko.¡± My father waves him away and opens the door for him.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I ask as soon as the door shuts.


    ¡°I have the same question for you.¡± His eyes narrow again, giving him a wary appearance. The longer I look at him, the more aged he seems. Deep wrinkles line his cheeks; his hair is lighter, thinner. Heavy bags rest under his eyes.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I told you I what I wanted for that Staszek girl. I want her father and her brothers to reek of humiliation when theye tomorrow. Instead, you have her signing up for college? She¡¯s going out for coffee with friends? She¡¯s living a charmed life with you down there in the city.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re having me watched?¡± Anger burns my chest. Which of my men have been tasked with babysitting me?


    ¡°You will do what I ask, Micah. You will make them pay for what they¡¯ve done.¡± Spittle collects at the corners of his mouth and as he talks it falls.


    ¡°She¡¯s to be my wife. Her humiliation is mine as well,¡± I point out. ¡°You would have me make her sit in the house all day staring at the walls? For what purpose?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s what she deserves!¡± he yells.


    I take a moment to breathe. Lena deserves many things from this life, but retribution for the acts of others is not one of them.


    ¡°She¡¯s done nothing to you or to me. She¡¯s taken this entire situation with more grace than I could have hoped.¡±


    ¡°She ran away from you the first night. Is that what you call grace?¡±


    ¡°Lena went to a club.¡±


    ¡°She went to her brothers¡¯ club! Jakub Staszek is trouble. You need to keep her away from him.¡±


    I can¡¯t keep up with his orders or his reasoning.


    ¡°Niko will have Lena down here any minute. If you want me positioned at the table when he does, we should get in the dining room with the rest of the guests.¡±


    ¡°You will not undermine me tonight, Micah.¡± He points a finger at me. His cheeks are blotched with red, and his lips have curled into a pale thin line.


    ¡°It¡¯s a celebration dinner,¡± I say. ¡°Lena will behave herself and we¡¯ll get through this. Tomorrow I¡¯ll marry her. The Staszek mess will be done with.¡±


    He drops his hand and huffs. ¡°And when she gives birth to your heir and they have to watch him brought up in our family, with our name, our blood in his veins, they¡¯ll be sick to their stomachs watching from the outside.¡±


    I pause in my step. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°After tomorrow, she won¡¯t be seeing her family again. She will be an Ivanov, no longer one of them.¡± He yanks the door open and walks out before the words sink in, but once they do my hands close into tight fists.


    ¡°What is your obsession with the Staszek family? We¡¯ve held a peace with them for years. They fucked up our shipment, I get that, and they¡¯ve more than paid for it. Why are you so hell bent on ruining them this way? Do you want to provoke an all-out war with the Polish? Joseph Staszek is a small part of a much bigger problem we would have.¡±


    ¡°Igor would understand.¡± The exasperation in his voice grates against my already on edge nerves.


    ¡°Would he?¡± I challenge.


    He puffs out his chest, seeking dominance between us. He holds the power, I won¡¯t challenge that, but I won¡¯t cower in the shadow of the dead anymore.


    ¡°Maybe you should exin it to me then, since I¡¯m here and he isn¡¯t.¡±


    In three steps he¡¯s in my face. ¡°Your brother built me an empire. The Staszek family is getting in the way of it. If you can¡¯t see that, if you can¡¯t see our enemies then maybe we have a problem.¡±


    ¡°And Lena is our enemy too?¡±


    ¡°Once she¡¯s firmly put in her ce, she¡¯ll earn her ce in our family. I expect you to keep her on a much tighter leash than you have so far, Micah.¡± He tugs on thepel of my jacket. ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint me, son.¡± A dark warning hangs off his words.


    ¡°Did Igor ever disappoint you?¡± I can¡¯t recall a minute of my life that Igor didn¡¯t put the sun in the sky for my father.


    ¡°Your brother was a good man. He would have put his family above everything.¡± He backs off a step and adjusts the cuffs of his shirt. ¡°Now. Let¡¯s get back to our guests.¡±


    Hopefully, Lena will be better at hiding her emotions tonight than my father.

 56

    Lena


    Niko looks over his shoulder for the second time as we descend the staircase. I throw on a smile for his benefit, but truth be told my stomach is shaking so hard I might not be able to get anything into it. At least I¡¯ll have Micah beside me. I can get through this with him at my side.


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s already seated,¡± Niko tells me as we arrive at the dining room doors. Sounds of softughter and conversation are muffled behind the door. ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    The way he asks gives me pause. It¡¯s just a dinner, but something in his tone makes it sound like I¡¯m about to be strung up.


    I run my hands down my stomach and hips; the beading of the dress is coarse against my palms. The dressmaker took the waist in just enough to let me breathefortably, but still, I can already feel my breath catching. Niko staring at me with such concern isn¡¯t helping.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Niko. Let¡¯s go before Mr. Ivanov gets angry.¡± I wave a hand at the door where he¡¯s already turning the knob.


    He gives me a supportive smile and slides the doors open, revealing a full dining room. He was right, everyone is already in their seats on either side of the long banquet table. Roman Ivanov sits at the head with Micah beside him. The conversationes to an abrupt stop as soon as I step foot into the room.


    Roman keeps his expression nd, but it¡¯s still enough to send a chill through me. I take a slow breath, calming myself. As soon as I get to my seat, I can hide beside Micah.


    I take a step in the direction of Micah¡¯s side of the table, but Niko gently grabs my elbow.


    ¡°This way, Lena,¡± he says quietly.


    My heart jumps into a rapid race, but I force myself to move with Niko. He takes me around the table, and I do my best to give a smile to everyone staring at me. No one speaks to me, and not a single person smiles in return.


    I search the table again for Micah, hoping to find encouragement in his eyes. But my gazends on a woman.


    The same woman from the restaurant a few nights ago. My heart dives to my stomach. She¡¯s seated beside Micah and she¡¯s smiling brilliantly at me.


    When my gaze drags to Micah, he has a stern set to his jaw.


    ¡°Here you are.¡± Niko pulls out the chair for me. I¡¯m seated across from the mystery woman, but thankfully not beside Roman. Niko takes that seat. It¡¯s a smallfort, minuscule really considering her hand inches closer to Micah¡¯s on the table. Subtlety doesn¡¯t appear to be her strength.


    ¡°Well. Now that we¡¯re all here.¡± Roman nods at the servers waiting in the corners of the room. He hasn¡¯t introduced me, and there will certainly be no congrattory speech on our behalf.


    The room fills with conversation once again as the servers begin to bring out the first course. Red borscht. A soup that normally would make my mouth water, but tonight my stomach is too twisted to be amodating for anything.


    ¡°Micah, it¡¯s your favorite,¡± the woman says with a singsong voice as sheys her hand on his forearm. ¡°Do you remember the batch I made for us in New York?¡± Sheughs. Her hand wraps around him, squeezing. ¡°It was a disaster.¡±


    Micah gives her a warm smile, then turns to his soup. I stare at him. He hasn¡¯t even acknowledged my presence. No one, other than Niko, has. My chest cramps watching her lean into Micah, saying something softly andughing again.


    Micah tips his gaze up to me, and I¡¯m frozen as he says something back to her.


    ¡°Your soup.¡± A server ces a bowl in front of me. My hands stay cemented in myp. If he¡¯s trying to make me jealous it won¡¯t work. He canugh and flirt with whoever he wants to.


    ¡°It¡¯s made with beets.¡± Niko leans over to me.


    I break my stare with Micah. ¡°What?¡±


    He points at the borscht. ¡°The soup. It¡¯s made with beets,¡± he says again.


    I blink several times. ¡°I know what it is. We have a simr dish.¡± As I turn back to my bowl, I catch Roman ring at me. It¡¯s as though my sheer presence at his table has angered him.


    Maybe I should tell him I don¡¯t want to be here anymore than he wants me, but something tells me Micah would take exception to that. Though the idea does make me smile as I pick up my spoon.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re ignoring poor Lena,¡± the woman beside Micah says with such a force of fake sympathy I want to pick up the butter knife and shove it in her throat.


    I smile instead, putting my spoon back down.


    ¡°I¡¯m Katina.¡± Her ruby red lips pull into a bright smile, showing off her perfectly white teeth and a small dimple in her right cheek. Two thick ck curls frame her porcin face. The woman is a picture of perfection. I¡¯m no wallflower myself. I¡¯m not threatened by the beauty of another woman, but the way she leans closer to Micah has my nerves on edge.


    Is there something going on with them? They are being so open, so tant in front of everyone at the table. Sets of eyes wander toward us.


    This is meant to be a humiliation. Roman Ivanov wants me to melt into a puddle of embarrassment. Is this the reality of my future with Micah-to sit and watch as he¡¯s openly intimate with other women? I¡¯ll be forced to be humiliated at every event, every dinner. People willugh at how foolish I am.


    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± I say when I finally find my voice. ¡°That¡¯s a very unique ne. Very pretty.¡±


    She picks up the charm hanging around her neck, dipping almost entirely into her heavy cleavage. Two golden hearts ovep each other and in the center is a setting of diamonds and emerald flecks.


    ¡°Thank you, it¡¯s one of my favorite pieces.¡± She reaches over and squeezes Micah¡¯s hand. ¡°Micah gave it to me for Christmas one year. He had it specially made.¡±


    The air whooshes out of my lungs as my heart squeezes. When I drag my gaze to Micah for confirmation, a stormy re looks back at me.


    ¡°For a long time, it was almost certain Katina would marry Micah.¡± Roman says, drawing my attention to him. Others at the table have quietly gone back to pretending not to witness this mess.


    ¡°That was a long time ago,¡± Micah says, averting his gaze momentarily to his father. The tension clings to his jawline.


    ¡°Not so long.¡± Roman waves a hand. ¡°But,¡± he narrows his eyes on me, ¡°things change.¡±


    ¡°Yes, they do,¡± Katina sighs sadly.


    ¡°Well, I hope it¡¯s not me getting in your way.¡± I force myself to keep my stare on Micah, whose eyebrows shoot up when he turns his attention back on me. ¡°By all means, if you¡¯d like to have him back, I¡¯m sure he and his father can arrange for that. They¡¯re very good at arranging the future for women. Deciding who they should be given to.¡±


    Niko groans beside me. The man to my left-who no one felt necessary to introduce-gasps. Other guests still their tongues. Silverware stops clinking against their bowls.


    ¡°Lena.¡± My name is filled with warning as Micah shoots it across the table at me.


    ¡°Truly, Micah.¡± I ce my spoon onto the table and tuck my napkin beside my bowl. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stand in your way. Of course, I¡¯m sure her father might want to discuss this. Make a good bargain. I doubt he¡¯ll sell for a high price given the situation, but I¡¯ll leave that up to your family.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Roman¡¯s fist pounds into the table, making his soup bowl dance. Droplets of the deep red broth sink into the white linen tablecloth.


    Katrina¡¯s hot re settles on me. ¡°How dare you speak so disrespectfully,¡± she says.


    ¡°I speak only the truth.¡± My chest is heavy, air gets harder and harder to grab, but I¡¯m not going to let them see my distress. ¡°If it is upsetting, maybe you should discuss the matter with them.¡± I point to Roman and Micah.


    ¡°Lena.¡± Again, there¡¯s a warning, heavy and unrelenting. ¡°Watch your words.¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± I force a grin and curl my toes into my shoes enough to distract my nerves from showing in my voice. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching how much she clearly wants you and now I¡¯m giving her what she wants. What you obviously want, and what will make your father happy.¡±


    ¡°Niko,¡± Roman snaps. ¡°Take Lena to her room. My son will be up to deal with her shortly.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Micah tosses his napkin onto the table and moves to his feet. Katina shifts away from him as he stands. ¡°I¡¯ll take her.¡±


    I stare at him, frozen in my chair. I¡¯ve yed all my cards. Provoked the beast in him. His lips are pressed thin, his jaw tight as a violin string.


    No sense in letting up now.


    I push away from the table and sigh heavily.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to excuse me; Micah needs a word in private,¡± I say to the table. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll all enjoy your meal, and I look forward to having you at the ceremony tomorrow.¡± I sp my hands in front of me as Micah moves around the table. The lion stalking the wounded prey. ¡°That is if Mr. Ivanov isn¡¯t able toe to a better offer from Katina¡¯s father.¡±


    ¡°Lena, stop it.¡± Micah¡¯s hand wraps tightly around my forearm and he pulls me away from my seat.


    ¡°I do hope you all have a wonderful evening.¡± I wiggle my fingers at them as Micah marches me from the room.


    Myst sight is Katina¡¯s wide-eyed stare on me as I leave. If I¡¯m not imagining things, there¡¯s a hint of admiration in her dark brown eyes.


    As soon as we¡¯re outside the dining room and the doors are closed, Micah pulls me close to him.


    ¡°What were you thinking?¡± he seethes.

 57

    I yank on my arm, but his grip only tightens. ¡°Let me go. I¡¯ll go upstairs and you can go back to your girlfriend.¡±


    He spins me to face him just at the bottom of the staircase. ¡°You¡¯ve embarrassed my father in front of his men, our family. You¡¯re lucky Katina¡¯s family isn¡¯t here, they would demand retribution for your words.¡±


    I stare at him, trying to find an ounce of the man I¡¯d spoken with before he went to his meeting with his father. All I see now are dark, angry eyes.


    ¡°No need for retribution.¡± I jerk on my arm again and get free. ¡°You can marry Katina tomorrow and then all will be well.¡±


    Without waiting for another word from him, I pick up the hem of my dress and hurry up the stairs. I hear him rushing behind me, but it doesn¡¯t stop me. I need to get away from him. To be alone and process my own stupidity.


    Of course they will expect some sort of retribution. I challenged and insulted them.


    I shove through the main door to our suite and try to run to the bedroom to the right, but Micah¡¯s too fast. His arm wraps around my waist, lifting me from the floor. No amount of kicking gets me free. He merely carries me to the door and locks it before bringing me to his bedroom.


    ¡°Micah, just leave me.¡± I shove at his arm, but he won¡¯t budge.


    ¡°I told you, Lena. I told you to behave yourself. I warned you not to let them get to you.¡± He brings me to the bed and dumps me onto the plush mattress. When I look up again, he¡¯s standing at the edge, his hands fisted on his hips.


    ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to humiliate me. I will not stand by watching you have a mistress right in front of my face.¡± I kick out at him, my heel hits his thigh, but he still doesn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°You¡¯re jealous?¡± He reaches down and grabs hold of my foot, peeling off my heel and dropping it to the floor. Then he grabs my second foot and does the same.


    ¡°You can do whatever you want, but I won¡¯t let you try to humiliate me. I won¡¯t do it.¡±


    He runs his tongue along his teeth beneath his lip as he res silently down at me. After a long pause, he grabs thepels of his jacket and jerks it off his shoulders.


    ¡°Come here.¡± He crooks his finger at me. There might as well be a neon sign over his head blinking danger.


    ¡°Your father expects you back downstairs,¡± I remind him.


    ¡°He expects me to deal with my rude fiancee. And if I go down there right now, they will all know that I didn¡¯t deal with your behavior, which will only insult them more.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I maneuver myself to the other edge of the bed and get back to my feet, cing the California King between us. ¡°So you don¡¯t want to go down there looking less of a man because you didn¡¯t make me regret my words?¡±


    His eyes narrow and his bottom lip half-slips between his teeth. I think he¡¯s trying to control his temper, but I¡¯m not helping.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what they think, but I do care what you think. And right now, you have two very wrong ideas. One, you¡¯ve gotten it in your head that I¡¯m going to be unfaithful and will wave a woman in your face. You can¡¯t be more wrong.¡±


    ¡°I suppose Katina is just a friend then? Not your long lost fiancee?¡±


    ¡°Katina was invited by my father.¡±


    ¡°She was at your restaurant the other night,¡± I point out.


    He nods. ¡°She was. Her cousin works for my father, he brought her to the restaurant for dinner. She came to say hello. After that I sent her away. I hadn¡¯t seen her in two years, Lena.¡±


    The tension in my chest eases a bit. ¡°Two years?¡±


    ¡°Yes. My father had here tonight as a way to piss you off, to try and humiliate you-yes, I know what he was trying to do. And I told you not to fall for anything that happened. I warned you to keep yourself calm, but you didn¡¯t listen.¡±


    ¡°She was all over you, Micah,¡± I defend.


    ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s good at that.¡± He nods. ¡°And you should have been good at trusting me.¡±


    ¡°Trust you?¡± I fist my own hands and put them on my hips. ¡°You¡¯re going to marry me tomorrow, Micah, because your father and my father deemed it so. Not because you love me-you don¡¯t even like me-and not because either of us want it. How can I trust you? You didn¡¯t even fight to allow my family here tonight. You let your father do this, let him try to humiliate me.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to love you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I¡¯m caught off guard with the question. Do I? ¡°No,¡± I answer, moving my eyes from his. If he stares too hard at me, he¡¯ll see the truth. Feelings for him have crept into my heart. Not love, never that, but a warmth that feels like it¡¯s being chilled with this entire situation.


    His lips kick up to the side in a yful grin. ¡°I¡¯ll let you hold on to that for now.¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t talking about that right now, Micah. Neither of us expect a romantic rtionship. That¡¯s has nothing to do with what¡¯s happening.¡± I¡¯m almost convincing, except the dull ache builds in my chest again.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he agrees. ¡°Right now, we¡¯re talking about you acting like the spoiled princess my father thinks you are. I told you to behave.¡± His hands move to his belt buckle and I¡¯m shocked into silence as he pulls the leather from the metal buckle then zips it through the loops of his pants.


    My ass clenches.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re going to be a good little boy and do your father¡¯s bidding, to deal with me?¡± Having the bed between us is lending me bravado.


    He huffs augh as he concentrates on folding the belt in half and tucking the buckle into the palm of his hand.


    ¡°My father¡¯s way of dealing with women is drastically different than mine, Lena.¡± After hearing the women in the stable crying, I don¡¯t doubt him. Roman is an evil man. Micah may be dangerous, and he may sometimes be cruel, but his heart isn¡¯t as ck as I assumed.


    ¡°You think this is less humiliating? Everyone downstairs will know what you did.¡± Tears prick my eyes. This is my own doing. He warned me. Even at the table, he warned me, but my temper red, propped up by my pride.


    ¡°Everyone downstairs will assume whatever they want to assume no matter what happens right now, Lena.¡± While holding the belt in his hand, he works the buttons open on his cuffs and works them into neat folds up to his elbows.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this,¡± I whisper. How much embarrassment am I to endure?


    ¡°Do you think you don¡¯t deserve a punishment?¡± He pauses in his folding.


    I open my mouth, fully intending to deny I deserve anything, but the sound doesn¡¯t carry forth from my throat.


    ¡°I made it very clear what would happen if you behaved badly, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Not in exact words, but I can¡¯t deny that I understood what would happen.


    ¡°Micah.¡± I say his name as though it will somehow take on a magical spell and convince him to give up his thoughts of taking that belt to my ass.


    ¡°Lena.¡± He sighs. ¡°I¡¯m not fighting with you. Now, get out of that dress and bend over the bed.¡±


    I blink back the tears threatening and shove my chin up an inch.


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t?¡± His eyebrows raise, but there¡¯s a hint of joy in his eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me do this.¡±


    Myst plea triggers something in him, and he rounds the bed in a sh. Before I blink, he¡¯s got his hand fisted in my hair and is walking me back away from the bed.


    ¡°Make you do this?¡± He drags me to the settee, spinning me away from him while keeping his hand fixated at my scalp. He grabs the neckline of the dress in the back and rips it downward until the material tears. Pink fabric andce fall to my feet, beading rolls across the floor.


    ¡°Micah!¡± I twist hard, but only achieve in pulling my own hair.


    In one more yank, he tears my panties from my ass.


    ¡°No.¡± I pull, but nothing gets him to drop his hand. I¡¯m shoved over the settee in the next movement and only then does his hand move from my hair. It¡¯s back on me between my shoulders, pinning me down.


    The belt buckle jangles behind me, but it¡¯s only a second before the first fire-hotshnds across my cheeks. I freeze, my body shocked at the immense sting spreading across my flesh. Anothersh and then another. He¡¯s five swats in before he pauses.


    ¡°Who was rude at the dinner table tonight, Lena? Me or you?¡±


    I suck in a harsh breath. Tears roll down my cheeks; this is so much worse than the hand spanking he gave me the first time. And it¡¯s nothing like the spanking he gave me only a few nights ago.


    ¡°Who?¡± He pinches my right ass cheek.


    ¡°Me. But-¡±


    ¡°No excuses. You let them get the better of you, and who won, Lena? You got in a good shot toward my father, toward Katina, but who¡¯s up here getting her ass blistered?¡±


    I fist my hands.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare reach back here. I¡¯ll tie you down and give you twice the belting. You won¡¯t be sitting at your own fucking wedding.¡±


    The belt crashes down on me again, and I rise up to my toes. It doesn¡¯t help, nothing I do makes it easier for me or harder for him. The leather strapes down again and again.


    I sag over the settee. After another sharpsh, he drops the belt beside me.


    ¡°You¡¯re not being fair,¡± I whisper, dragging in a shaky breath and trying to get myselfposed.


    ¡°There is no fair in our world, princess. You know that.¡±


    ¡°You want me to roll over and let them abuse me.¡± I crane my neck, looking at him over my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll never do that. Never.¡±


    His jaw tightens, but the sharpness of his eyes softens.


    ¡°You won¡¯t have to do that. I won¡¯t allow them to hurt you, and if you had kept your temper in check for another moment, I could have handled them. Instead, you took matters into your own hands and now we¡¯re here.¡± He smacks my ass again, but only half-heartedly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that,¡± I admit.


    ¡°Was I unclear before?¡±


    I turn back away from him. He¡¯s not angry about what I said, he¡¯s upset because I didn¡¯t trust him enough to let him deal with his father. Me stepping on Roman¡¯s toes caused more trouble than if Micah had done it. I made Micah look weak in the eyes of his men.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I say softly. ¡°I thought you wanted Katina, that you wanted me to see that you¡¯ll be keeping her, and I would just have to watch.¡±


    He releases the pressure on my back and sits beside me, running his hand up and down my spine.


    ¡°I will never do that to you.¡± He brushes away a stray hair that¡¯s stuck to my wet face. ¡°I promise, Lena. I would never do that to you. Once I make my vows, I¡¯ll keep them.¡±


    A weight lifts from me with his promation. And I¡¯m more confused than ever.


    ¡°Come here,¡± he says as he lifts me from my position and pulls me into hisp. His pants are rough against the tenderness of my ass.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I embarrassed you or made you look bad, but I¡¯m not sorry I upset your father,¡± I confess once I¡¯m settled on hisp.


    He breaks into augh. ¡°What am I going to do with you, princess?¡±


    I shrug. ¡°I suppose letting me out of all this is out of the question?¡±


    He knuckles my chin toward him. There¡¯s a seriousness in his eyes, a stern set of his features.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never let you go, Lena. And not because of my father¡¯s orders.¡± He kisses me, soft at first, then hard and possessive. Everything inside mees alive. I¡¯m left wanting when he pulls away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never let you go, because I don¡¯t want to. You¡¯re mine, princess. Like it or not, you belong to me.¡± He wipes his thumb across my cheek, clearing away the streaks of tears. Hopefully, my mascara has held up and I don¡¯t look as lousy as I feel.


    ¡°And Katina?¡± I ask, lowering my gaze. I shouldn¡¯t feel this level of jealousy, but it¡¯s nagging me nheless.


    ¡°She¡¯s the past and that¡¯s where she stays. You have to promise me not to let my father get you riled up. You only let him win when yoush out.¡±


    He¡¯s right. It felt good, seeing his cheeks turn red, hearing the surprised gasps of the guests, but in the end I lost.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± It¡¯s the best I can do.


    He sighs. ¡°Try a lot, unless you¡¯d like to have more evenings draped over the couch instead of beneath me in bed.¡±


    It¡¯s my turn to frown. ¡°So¡­ no reward?¡±


    Heughs. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m not making you go back downstairs.¡±


    I jump off hisp, ready to lock myself in the bathroom to avoid being dragged off.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°I said I wasn¡¯t making you.¡± He stands from the couch. ¡°I do have to go back down though. I need to talk with Niko before he takes off and I¡¯m sure my father has a few words for me as well. You¡¯ll be going to bed.¡±


    ¡°Going to bed, like some bad little girl,¡± I scoff, grabbing my panties from the floor.


    He snags the panties from me.


    ¡°Yes, because that¡¯s exactly how you behaved. To bed early with no dinner. Sounds like a just punishment.¡± He smiles, and pockets my panties.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to be able to sleep. It¡¯s early.¡±


    He kisses my cheek and pats my still tender ass.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave this room.¡±


    I can work with that. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    He stares at me a long moment. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a very interesting day tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be good.¡±


    Heughs as he collects his jacket and begins rolling down his sleeves.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that before. Good night, princess.¡± A quick peck to my cheek, and he¡¯s gone, closing the door to the bedroom behind him.


    I nce down at the belt coiled up on the settee. Apparently, I¡¯m going to have a love-hate rtionship with more than Micah.

 58

    Lena


    It¡¯s my wedding day. My hair¡¯s been pulled, twisted, and pinned into a glorious updo that I never would have pulled off without a professional. The makeup artist has finally finished packing up and left me alone. I¡¯ve even been stuffed into the dress, thanks to Kasia¡¯s help.


    And now, I¡¯m standing in front of the full-length mirror on the inside of the closet trying to catch my breath. My family is here already. Kasia promised me Dominik and Jakub were keeping my father away from the Ivanovs.


    ¡°I think they¡¯ll be ready for you in a few minutes,¡± Kasia says as she breezes back into the room.


    I tten my hand against my stomach and give a little nod. Slow breath in, one, two, three. Long breath out.


    My nerves are everywhere, and nothing is working to keep them under control.


    What if Roman says something to piss me off? What if Katina does? I don¡¯t want to ruin today.


    ¡°Hey, you okay?¡± Kasia steps behind me in the mirror. She¡¯s dressed in a simple purple dress with lc ribbons braided into her long blonde hair.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I say, closing my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you should sit.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shake my head. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I take another slow breath in, but my eyes fill with tears. I¡¯m losing this battle and I¡¯m going to destroy all the hard work that annoying makeup artist did.


    ¡°Lena.¡± Kasia lightly grasps my arms and squeezes. ¡°I know you¡¯re scared.¡± Sheughs softly. ¡°I know better than anyone.¡±


    I blow out another long breath, gathering the ends of my frayed nerves and bundling them back together. When I turn to face her, the tears have receded and I¡¯m able to stand firm.


    ¡°The difference is you were marrying my brother, not the son of the Ivanov family.¡±


    She tilts her head with narrowed eyes. ¡°Do you think they are so different? Micah and Dominik?¡±


    ¡°My father doesn¡¯t keep an underground bunker full of women to be bought and sold like cattle.¡±


    ¡°No. But he isn¡¯t an innocent man either. I don¡¯t know the full extent of what the Staszek family does, but I know Dominik gets calls in the middle of the night that drag him from bed. And when he returns, he¡¯s tense and worn out. More than once he¡¯se home with blood on his clothes.¡±


    ¡°Does he know you think so lowly of his family?¡± I ask, but the bitterness isn¡¯t real. She¡¯s right, there¡¯s little difference between my father and Roman. But my father is mine, and he would never hurt me. Roman would dly see me thrown to the wolves.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think badly of your father or either of your brothers. This is the world we live in. If Dominik were to magically be on the outside of it, things wouldn¡¯t change. It wouldn¡¯t take the drugs off the streets.¡±


    ¡°Roman¡¯s sins are different.¡±


    She nods. ¡°They are. I agree.¡± Reaching out, she straightens the thin strap over my shoulder. ¡°You aren¡¯t powerless, Lena.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never thought I was.¡±


    She grins. ¡°I heard aboutst night¡¯s dinner.¡±


    I groan. ¡°My humiliation?¡±


    ¡°No! You stood up for yourself. I¡¯m sure Micah wasn¡¯t pleased, and I know Roman is still seething over it, but you didn¡¯t back down. You¡¯re nobody¡¯s footstool.¡±


    I roll my shoulders back. ¡°You know when I was younger, Dominikined to my father that he gave in to me too much. That he spoiled me.¡±


    Sheughs. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that, yes.¡±


    ¡°Dominik was too busy being Dad¡¯s first son to really pay attention. It wasn¡¯t that I had my dad wrapped around my finger, but that when I wanted something, truly wanted it, I just didn¡¯t give up until I got it.¡±


    ¡°And is now different? You don¡¯t like what¡¯s happening, what can you do to change it?¡±


    ¡°Do you need any help at the shelter? I can¡¯t offer much but my time.¡±


    She breaks into a bright smile. ¡°That would be great.¡±


    ¡°Seems such a small actpared to the horrors I know Roman is causing.¡±


    Kasia¡¯s smile slips a fraction. ¡°We do what we can. Who knows, maybe one day we¡¯ll have the force to make him shut it down.¡±


    ¡°And until then? I¡¯ll still be an Ivanov.¡±


    She grasps my hands tightly. ¡°And you¡¯ll still be you.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you guys done messing around? They¡¯re waiting for you down there.¡± Jakub bursts into the room. For a brief moment he reminds me of when we were children and Dad would send him up to fetch me for dinner. Half annoyed at being given the task.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m ready.¡± I take another deep breath.


    ¡°Sorry. My fault.¡± Kasia waves at him. ¡°I¡¯ll run ahead and sit with Dominik.¡± She wiggles her fingers at me and disappears.


    Jakub takes a long look at me; his annoyance slips to concern.


    ¡°You¡¯re marrying Micah Ivanov,¡± he says, as though it¡¯s the first time he¡¯s allowed himself to say the words out loud. ¡°If he ever hurts you, Lena-¡±


    ¡°Oh, spare me the big brother speech, Jakub.¡± I wave at him and go in search of the floral bouquet I¡¯m meant to use for the ceremony.


    His jaw clenches. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy with the club, with my own shit. If I¡¯d been paying more attention, maybe I could have saved you from this.¡±


    I meet him at the door, flowers in hand. ¡°I¡¯m not being taken to the executioner, Jakub. Just the altar.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    His frown deepens. ¡°Dad¡¯s married off Dominik, and now you. I suppose I¡¯ll be next.¡±


    Iugh. ¡°Just like you to think of yourself.¡±


    He breaks into a grin. ¡°Can¡¯t help it. I¡¯m not ready to be tied down.¡±


    I lightly smack his shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with. I want to get out of Roman¡¯s house and that won¡¯t happen until I have Micah¡¯s ring on my finger.¡±


    He nods and loops his arm through mine.


    ¡°I am serious, Lena,¡± he says as we teeter at the top of the stairs. My father stands at the bottom waiting for us. Music ys behind him. ¡°If he hurts you. Youe home. You call me. You call Dominik. You get away from him.¡±


    I squeeze my brother¡¯s arm. ¡°I can take care of myself, Jakub.¡±


    He opens his mouth like he¡¯s going to say something else, but then snaps his lips closed.


    ¡°Yes, you can, little sister.¡± He points at the stairs. ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    My stomach twists, but as we take the first step down a gentle calm rushes over me and by the time we meet my father I¡¯m solid in my steps.


    ¡°Lena.¡± My father takes me from Jakub. ¡°I know I haven¡¯t been avable since-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Daddy.¡± I slip my arm through his. ¡°I¡¯m all right.¡±


    I have to say it again quietly in my mind as he leads me to the back patio where I¡¯m greeted with a small crowd. Music ys, the guests stand, and my father pulls me toward the aisle.


    Then I catch Micah¡¯s stare.


    Everything will be all right.


    It has to be.

 59

    Micah


    My wife stands with her brothers and her sister-inw while I speak with Niko and Dimitri. We aren¡¯t staying long after the meal is served, and I want them ready.


    When Lena glided down the rolled-out white carpet, tucked into her father¡¯s side, my heart threatened to jump out of my chest. It wasn¡¯t just her beauty-and fuck was she beautiful with her hair pinned up and therge curls pouring out framing her face, and that dress. Holy hell, it shouldn¡¯t be legal for a woman to walk around with such generous curves and regal appearance. With each step she took, her confidence glowed around her. It was in those moments her beauty outshined any other woman before her.


    ¡°Be ready to go right after we eat. I don¡¯t want to spend another minute here than I have to,¡± I say and head toward where my wife huddles with her family.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Before I can get to her, Roman stops me. ¡°Remember what I told you.¡±


    I meet his gaze. The man is obsessed, and it¡¯s starting to show in other areas of the business. Niko had a report for me this morning that has me on edge. Roman¡¯s pouring more capital into the stable than we can cover with legitimate investments. He¡¯s going to get us all in trouble. A war with another family can be dealt with. But a full-out war with the feds can easily break us apart. Especially if he¡¯s bankrupted the family with his pet project.


    ¡°I got it,¡± I assure him and press forward. The sooner I get Lena away from him, the better for us all.


    Katina stands off to the corner of the patio, talking with one of my cousins. She catches my stare and smiles but makes no move to engage me. Other than when she¡¯s forced, she¡¯s harmless. And she has no true interest in me, not that she would get anywhere if she did.


    I meant what I told Lena.


    I may not havee to this marriage of my own free will, but I will not go back on my vows. I will not betray her.


    ¡°Lena.¡± I touch her elbow. ¡°Dominik, Jakub.¡± I nod toward her brothers. ¡°Kasia.¡±


    Lena stiffens beneath my touch, but she holds herself strong. She¡¯s been so good today for me. Other than mildints about the hairdresser and makeup artist, she has done everything asked of her quietly. I don¡¯t mistake her obedience here as weakness; no, my princess has ws and she¡¯s willing to use them when needed.


    It¡¯s only one of the many things I¡¯m starting to understand and admire about her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to tear you away, but I need to see you for a minute.¡± I tug on her elbow.


    ¡°Of course.¡± She hands her ss of wine to Kasia. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Dominik¡¯s re is steadfast, but I can¡¯t me him. If the roles were reversed, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d behave as well as they have. I¡¯m sure he fantasizes about sticking a knife in my heart, but he won¡¯t mess up this truce. We have that inmon.


    ¡°What do you need?¡± Lena asks as I lead her through the house toward the stairs.


    ¡°I need you upstairs for a minute,¡± I say and bring her up the stairs to our room.


    ¡°Micah. People will notice we¡¯ve gone missing,¡± she says as wee to our suite.


    I smile at her, enjoying the way her pupils dte with the mere thought of us being alone in the bedroom.


    ¡°Do you think I give a fuck about that?¡± I ask, pushing the door open and motioning for her to get inside.


    She sighs. ¡°I guess not.¡±


    I follow her in then lock the door behind her. While she stands in the middle of the sitting room watching me, I go into the bedroom and retrieve what I¡¯m looking for from my bag and return to her.


    Her eyesnd on the item in my hand and her cheeks explode into a blush.


    ¡°Micah, what are you thinking to do?¡± Her hands fly behind her, as though she could actually block me from my intent.


    ¡°I told you, princess. On our wedding night, I¡¯ll take the one virginity you still have.¡± I open my hand and let the silver bullet-shaped plug stand in my palm. ¡°This makes it easier for youter.¡±


    Her jaw cks, her pretty lips part, then snap shut again.


    ¡°Speechless? Well, now I know how to achieve that,¡± Iugh. It¡¯s easy, this bit of banter between us. Even with her embarrassment and arousal mingling, the tension easesfortably.


    ¡°You can¡¯t think to actually use that thing right now.¡± She moves back a step. ¡°We¡¯re expected at the luncheon.¡±


    I advance toward her. ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re out of your mind. I¡¯m not doing that.¡± She folds her arms over her chest.


    ¡°Lena, look at me,¡± I order when she keeps her pitiful gaze fixated on my chest.


    Her attention eases its way up to me.


    ¡°Do you remember your vows?¡±


    Her brows wrinkle. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The vows, the ones you just took barely an hour ago before God and our family?¡± I remind her.


    ¡°There was nothing about butt plugs in them.¡±


    I hold back my chuckle. This woman can make nearly any situation lighter with her quick wit. It will definitely be her undoing some days. I look forward to them.


    ¡°What were they, Lena? You promised to¡­¡± I wave my hand at her to fill in the nks.


    She sighs.


    ¡°To love, honor, and-¡± She stops, scrunching up her nose. ¡°Obey.¡±


    ¡°Obey. Yes.¡± I snap my fingers. ¡°That¡¯s the one we¡¯re focusing on now. So, you can either obey me, wife, or you can earn a spanking, then have the plug put in anyway. And this time, I won¡¯t go lightly with my belt.¡±


    Her lips squish together. Whatever internal battle she¡¯s having, I¡¯m not sure she¡¯s going toe out the winner.


    ¡°Fine.¡± She marches at me and snatches the plug from my hand and turns toward the other bedroom. I grab her arm before she gets two steps away.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°To put this damn thing in,¡± she snaps.


    ¡°Nope. Not that easy, princess.¡± I pluck the plug from her grasp and pull her into the bedroom we sharedst night.


    ¡°It will take me ten minutes to get out of this thing,¡± sheins.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to, just bend over the edge of the bed and lift up the dress.¡± I look over the gown; it¡¯s elegant, not full of tooling andce, but sleek and beautiful. Like her.


    While I retrieve a small bottle of lubrication, she gets situated over the side of the bed. Her dislike for what¡¯s about to happen makes her look more like a child being made to take her vitamins than a woman about to submit willingly to her husband.


    I can fix that.


    As I grab the lube, I pick up the small vibrator I packed in the hopes we were going to have funst night. But thanks to her outburst, that hadn¡¯t happened.


    I sit on the bed beside her upturned ass. Sadly, there aren¡¯t any marks from yesterday. She¡¯s already pulled her whitece panties down to her knees and buried her face in the bed.


    ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as you think.¡±


    ¡°Just do it,¡± she mutters into the bedding.


    ¡°Reach back here and pull your ass apart for me. Show me your dark little hole.¡± My cock lengthens at my own words.


    She groans but does my bidding.


    ¡°I think I have something that will make this better for you,¡± I say, twisting the bottom of the vibrator on and slipping it between her legs. There¡¯s enough pressure of her body against the bed to hold it in ce, right on her clit.


    ¡°Oh!¡± She sinks into the sensations.


    ¡°Better?¡±


    Her nails turn inward, clenching her cheeks. It¡¯s enough of an answer.


    I squirt a dollop of lubrication on the dark ring of muscle. Instantly she clenches.


    ¡°Nope. If you do that, I have to take the vibrator away,¡± I warn as I drop the lubrication bottle behind me on the bed.


    Slowly, she eases.


    ¡°Feel good?¡± I ask, tapping the end of the vibrator. ¡°Keep focused on how good it feels while I¡¯m inserting the plug.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m letting you do this,¡± she mutters, and I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not supposed to hear it.


    The rounded edge of the plug is poised at her asshole.


    ¡°Should you do it and I¡¯ll watch?¡± I ask, half threatening. She¡¯s never had this done and I¡¯m not sure I want to give up the pleasure of being the one to handle it for her.


    She twists her head enough to look at me with her wide eyes. ¡°No, you do it.¡±


    I pat her ass with my free hand. ¡°That¡¯s a good princess,¡± I tease her and it¡¯s enough to get her body to rx. When she moves her focus from what I¡¯m doing, it won¡¯t be so hard to get the plug in ce.


    ¡°Deep breath, baby,¡± I say softly over the hum of the vibrator. It¡¯s doing its job of making her pussy nice and wet. Her lips glisten with her juices. It¡¯s a shame she isn¡¯t going to find any relief until I have her in our bed tonight.


    I push gingerly at first, watching the tight muscles stretch around the plug, more and more as it gets to the widest part of the toy.


    ¡°It burns,¡± she whines.


    ¡°Push out at me, Lena. It will rx the muscle more.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°Your choice. Either way it¡¯s going in.¡± I push it more and she hisses. It only takes her another breath to finally get in line with what I want from her. Her asshole swallows up the rest of the plug and tightens around the thin base. Thevender jewel at the base is the only bit of it visible now.


    I smile at the sweetness of it. Of her. I snag the vibrator.


    ¡°You can let go now.¡± I stand up from the bed, watching as her cheeks fall back into ce and hug the jeweled end of her plug. I adjust my rock-hard cock in my pants. After I pocket the vibrator, I pull her panties up over her creamy, lush ass.


    I grab the lube and take it, along with the vibe, to my bag and toss them inside. When I turn back around, she stands beside the bed, every inch of her face covered in a deep crimson blush. She tries to cover her embarrassment by fixing the skirt of her dress.


    ¡°Come here, princess.¡± I crook my finger at her. Fire bursts into her eyes.


    ¡°What now?¡± she demands while she makes her way over to me.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be good at lunch. No matter what.¡± I press my finger to her lips just as they start to move. ¡°I will deal with anything my father throws at us. I¡¯m asking you to trust me here, Lena. Trust that I will take care of you.¡±


    ¡°I can take care of myself,¡± she says against my finger.


    I drop my hand to her cheek, running the back of my fingers along her jaw.


    ¡°I know you can, which makes it all the more meaningful when you put your safety into my hands.¡± I cup the back of her neck and pull her to me, capturing her mouth beneath mine. The kiss at the altar had been quick, but not this one.


    I wrap my second hand around her throat, trapping her neatly in ce as I deepen the kiss. Her throat vibrates beneath my palm when I squeeze-not enough to cut off her air, only enough to let her feel me, truly feel me.


    When I break the kiss, I hold her throat tighter.


    ¡°I will always keep you safe, Lena.¡±


    Sheys her hands on my chest with no pressure. Her chin moves up to amodate myrge hand, but she doesn¡¯t resist. When her pupils are fully dted, I let her go.


    ¡°Can you do that for me? Can you trust me today?¡± It¡¯s a small step in the right direction.


    She trails her fingertips along her throat, where thest bit of my fingerprints fades.


    ¡°Yes, Micah. I think I can.¡±

 60

    Lena


    ¡°Something wrong?¡± Micah asks me as we stand silently in the elevator taking us up to his penthouse. Our penthouse. We¡¯re married now; I guess that means it¡¯s my home, too.


    ¡°No.¡± I keep my eyes fixated on the lighted numbers as they sh.


    ¡°You keep wiggling. Are your pants too tight?¡± he asks, slinking his arm around my waist and pulling me closer to him. He¡¯s enjoying this an annoying amount.


    ¡°They¡¯re fine.¡± But they aren¡¯t. When I packed a pair of cks to wear after the luncheon, I hadn¡¯t been aware of his intention to stick a damn plug up my ass. Now I¡¯m wearing a pair of snugly fitting ivory cks with an off the shoulder tan knit sweater. The cks hug me enough to remind me of the plug with every move.


    I¡¯m not sure how I made it through the luncheon with this thing inside me. Or how I was able to carry on a conversation with anyone while my pussy soaked through my panties because I could feel the heat of Micah¡¯s stare whenever he turned in my direction. He knew I had this thing lodged in my ass. With that knowledge, coupled with the ripples of arousal spreading through my core with my movements, I was a puddle of need.


    ¡°You and Kasia had a lot to talk about,¡± he says, switching topics just as he punches in the code to open the doors.


    ¡°She¡¯s actually really nice.¡± I step inside.


    ¡°The conversation looked serious.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°It was,¡± I say, following him from the foyer to the kitchen. He grabs a bottle of wine and two sses.


    ¡°Are you hoping I won¡¯t find out what you¡¯re up to?¡± he asks while uncorking the bottle and pouring each of us a ss of red wine.


    I take my ss and press my hip against the counter. He¡¯s going to find out. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be able to hide anything I do from this man. He¡¯ll always have eyes on me.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be volunteering at Kasia¡¯s halfway house.¡± I swirl the wine around the ss then take a casual sip.


    He puts his ss down on the counter. ¡°My father doesn¡¯t want you seeing your family for the time being.¡± He stops my reaction with a hand in the air. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to stay away from them. I¡¯ll deal with my father, but I need you to give me some time.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying I can¡¯t see Kasia? Jakub? My father?¡±


    He stares at me a long moment. ¡°No.¡± He shakes his head and slides around the kitchen ind until he¡¯s next to me and picks up my hand. ¡°I¡¯m saying I need you to be cautious. Don¡¯t do anything that makes him think you¡¯re acting against our family.¡±


    ¡°How is helping clean up rooms and doingundry going to be interpreted that way?¡±


    He half smiles. ¡°My father has an active imagination. That ce helps rescue women from men like him. He¡¯ll see it as an act against us. So, just let me deal with him first before you start going there.¡±


    ¡°Trust you.¡± I repeat his earlier words.


    He brings my hand to his lips. ¡°Yes, Lena. Trust me.¡±


    ¡°How long? I told Kasia I¡¯d be over in a few days.¡±


    He turns my hand until my palm faces up. His tongue skates across my wrist before he kisses the spot.


    ¡°A day or two,¡± he says, kissing my palm. If he¡¯s trying to distract me, it¡¯s working.


    ¡°And then you won¡¯t get in the way?¡±


    He looks up from my hand, his forehead wrinkled, his eyes dark and focused. ¡°Get in your way?¡± Heughs and lets my hand go. ¡°You talk big.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only rifying that once you calm your father, you¡¯ll let me go about my life. I don¡¯t want to spend the rest of my life waiting for permission for ordinary things.¡± And I won¡¯t, but I¡¯m sure he knows that about me by now.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll always keep an eye on you,¡± he promises with a sultry smile. ¡°Trust me, Lena. Things can be very good between us. We aren¡¯t enemies.¡± His fingertips skate across my jaw. ¡°And I don¡¯t want to talk about our families right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What would you like to talk about then?¡±


    He leans in and captures my mouth beneath his. The warm tingle ramps up into a full explosion when his hand moves around me and he presses against the plug.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want any talking at all.¡± He pushes my winess away. Apparently, the small talk is over. ¡°Get in the bedroom, princess, and get out of this outfit.¡± He plucks the neckline of my sweater.


    I keep my head held high as I march to the bedroom. His hot stare beats on the back of me as he follows behind. The click of his shoes against the flooring mimics the harsh beat of my heart as we get closer and closer to our room with each step.


    Once inside the sitting room, I pause. He¡¯s not willing to give me time to overthink things, though, and grabs my hand in his, pulling me to the bedroom.


    ¡°Micah.¡± I yank free of his grip once I¡¯m faced with the bed and what I have in store for me. The plug was one thing, but to have his cock buried deep within me is another.


    ¡°I told you to get out of those clothes, Lena,¡± he says as his response to my quiet plea. After leaving me standing at the foot of the bed, he shakes out of his jacket. His tie easily glides out from beneath his cor and he tosses it onto the nightstand. He toes out of his shoes and unbuttons his shirt.


    ¡°Do you need a reminder of your vows again?¡± he asks me when he reaches to undo his belt, and I¡¯m still standing frozen in time.


    The image of having that leather belt pping across my cheeks with the plug firmly in ce gets me moving.


    Once I¡¯mpletely nude, I look back at him. My nipples harden beneath his predatory gaze. He¡¯s removed his shirt but left his pants on. While avoiding his eyes, I let my own wander over his body. He¡¯s sculpted and trim.


    ¡°Lena.¡± He says my name sharply and I meet his gaze again. ¡°Lie on the bed.¡± He points where he wants me. I must have missed his first order.


    I climb on the bed, lying back on the oversized soft pillows. I wonder if I could press one over my face until this ordeal was over.


    The bed dips as he climbs on with me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you, for fuck¡¯s sake, Lena. Rx.¡± He grabs my knees and shoves my thighs apart. The cool air of the room brushes across my wet sex.


    ¡°Look at me, princess,¡± he orders with less tension. He¡¯s impatient, but he¡¯s not angry. ¡°Rx for me.¡±


    He scoots himself down on the bed until his face hovers over my pussy.


    ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to do this since I met you,¡± he says darkly as his head dips lower. His hot breath washes over my pussy lips, over my swollen and wanting clit. I fist my hands, digging my nails into my palms.


    If I don¡¯t distract myself, I¡¯ll beg him to hurry. I¡¯ve wanted his mouth on me for ages it seems.


    His tongue skates up and down my folds. Using his thumbs, he spreads my lips open to expose my clit to his attentions. I close my eyes and suppress a cry of arousal when the tip of his tonguevishes ecstasy across my clit.

 61

    ¡°Fuck, princess,¡± he groans, sweeping his tongue through my slit, up and down, then flicking across the most sensitive part of my bud.


    ¡°Micah!¡± I tense as the flood of arousal builds behind a dam I can¡¯t hold back for much longer.


    ¡°Not yet, princess.¡± Heughs, then slides two fingers into my pussy. Turning his hand, he presses downward into my passage, hard and fast as his mouth envelops my clit.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I yell out, arching from the bed as wave after wave crashes over my body. ¡°Micah. Micah!¡± I scream, uncaring of anything other than the explicit heaven raining down over my body as Ie.


    I wind my fingers into his short dark hair, arching my hips against his mouth. He never stops licking and biting as the orgasm ebbs and I¡¯m left a puddle in the center of our bed. He ces another kiss to my clit, then sits up on his heels.


    A heated flush rushes over my body with him staring down at me like he¡¯s just caught me with my hand in a cookie jar.


    ¡°Did I say you coulde, Lena?¡± he asks with a hint of danger on the edge.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t say I couldn¡¯t,¡± I reply, easing my knees closed. He stops me quickly by shoving them back to the mattress and canvassing my inner thighs with harsh ps.


    ¡°Such a mouthy wife.¡± He tsks his tongue then reaches between my legs again, tapping his finger to the plug. ¡°Take a deep breath, Lena.¡±


    I barely have time topose myself before he pulls the plug out, stretching me further with the wide part of it as he does so. Once it¡¯s out, he tosses it to the floor.


    I¡¯m stuck lying on the bed, my legs spread out exposed to him-ready for the fucking he¡¯s promised me as he works his pants and boxers off.


    When his cock is free, it bobs toward me, thick and long. And it¡¯s going in my ass. I clench my fists again.


    Micah nkets my body with his own, trailing kisses up my jaw until he reaches my mouth. Once his lips touch mine, I¡¯m lost to him again. Arousal swirls alive within me. The thick head of his cock presses against my wet passage.


    When I wiggle my hips, wanting to fill myself with his cock, he breaks the kiss. ¡°No, no, I¡¯m fucking your tight virgin ass tonight, Lena.¡±


    He reaches between our bodies and fists his cock, gathering up the juices of my pussy on the tip before pressing it against my asshole. Instinct kicks in and I clench.


    ¡°Keep doing that and this won¡¯t be any fun for you,¡± he warns, pushing forward still, undeterred by my nervousness.


    ¡°Micah. I don¡¯t think¡­ shouldn¡¯t we use the plug more first? Maybe do this¡­ oh!¡± I grab his shoulders as he thrusts forward, breaking through my ring of muscle.


    ¡°See, not so bad.¡± He grits his teeth, as though he¡¯s the one having trouble keeping himselfposed. ¡°How does that feel?¡±


    ¡°Full.¡± I stiffen as he shifts again.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to take it; every inch of my cock is going to plow into your ass and you¡¯re going to ept it.¡±


    His crass words only work to drive my arousal to a higher peak.


    ¡°Yes, Micah.¡± I nod, running my hands over his bare shoulders. Having him so close to me like this, so intimately against me, calms me. He won¡¯t hurt me. Not in any permanent way. ¡°I trust you,¡± I say.


    It¡¯s like I¡¯ve turned the key on the engine with my words. His eyes roll back, and he pushes forward, fully embedding his thick cock into my ass. I cry out at the sudden invasion, but he gives me no time to limate to his size.


    Harder and faster, he plows his cock into my ass and all I can do is take what he gives me. What starts out as sharp bits of pain quickly turns into fragments of need, embers of want, and erupts into a volcanic proportion of desire.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop,¡± I plead when he slows. My words trigger a seductive, devilish grin from him, and he moves forward again.


    ¡°You like my cock in your ass, princess.¡±


    ¡°Harder, Micah!¡± I demand and spread my legs further.


    ¡°Your clit, bossy girl, rub your clit.¡±


    I slide my hand between our bodies as he continues to fuck my ass. As soon as my fingertip grazes my clit, fireworks threaten inside.


    The sounds of flesh pping flesh dance over our bodies as he wraps his arms beneath me. He snakes his hands around my shoulders, pulling me toward him as he thrusts forward into me. Every fiber of my body is on high alert.


    He plows forward hard enough to bounce the headboard off the wall, but it¡¯s not enough. I want more, I want everything he can give me. The stretch, the fullness, it all lifts me into an aroused state of panic. Rubbing my clit frantically, I chase down the impossible.


    Another thrust from him, and it happens. Vibrant colors cascade behind my eyelids. I thrust my hips up at him, matching his fevered strokes, riding the waves of pleasure as heated spasms course through me.


    A low growl rumbles from deep within him and his pumping increases. Another thrust and another, then he stills with a roar of release. Thick ropes of hot cum spurt inside my ass, filling me with his seed.


    Our breath, hot and heavy, mingles between us just before he presses his lips to mine. His forehead falls to mine, just before he pulls back, his cock slips from my ass and he slinks to lie beside me.


    ¡°Micah,¡± I say when moments pass quietly. ¡°I need a towel, or something.¡± This never gets less awkward, I think. The messiness of afterwards.


    He rolls to his side and leans up on his elbow. His hair is disheveled, and a loose ck lock of hair falls over his eye. It¡¯s enough to make me wet for him all over again.


    ¡°Never wipe my cum from you.¡± He reaches down to my legs and pulls them closed. ¡°I want you to feel me dripping down between your ass cheeks, down your thighs, and remember who you belong to.¡±


    I blink up at him, suddenly hot beneath my own skin. The mark of ownership-that¡¯s what he¡¯s getting at, and I don¡¯t hate it.


    ¡°Can I at least get under the nket?¡± I ask, forcing attitude into my words.


    He grins and shifts back so I can maneuver the nkets and get beneath them. There¡¯s going to be a mess on the sheets in the morning, but something tells me he¡¯ll only be more proud of himself for it.


    Micah climbs beneath the covers with me. His heavy arm pulls me closer to his body. Thete afternoon sun rays peek through the blinds, casting the room in an orange glow.


    ¡°It¡¯s too early to go to bed,¡± I say just as arge yawn takes over.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    He hugs me tighter to him. ¡°Who said you¡¯re going to bed.¡± He kisses the back of my shoulder. ¡°You can have a nap, but then I¡¯m fucking you again.¡±


    Since he¡¯s behind me and can¡¯t see me, I grin at the prospect.


    ¡°And again.¡±


    Iugh then snuggle into the pillows and press myself into thefort of his embrace. A short nap will do me good.


    Could this be reality? Will things settle into this sort of calm that I can rely on?


    I grab onto the first signs of sleep. If it¡¯s only a dream for this moment, I¡¯ll happily fall into it.

 62

    Micah


    I find my father in his office in the back of the house. Thisst week with Lena has put a rose-colored shade over the reality of my work. But it¡¯s time I get back into the full swing of things with the Ivanov business.


    As I enter Roman¡¯s office a young woman, much younger than Lena, slithers past me. One of Roman¡¯s men steps out to greet her and grabs her arm, half dragging her away from the office.


    ¡°Ah. Micah.¡± Roman zips up his pants and tucks his shirt back in. ¡°I almost forgot you wereing today. It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve seen you.¡±


    I watch the girl being pulled down a corridor that leads to the underground entrance to the stable. It wasn¡¯t that long ago I walked through that very hallway to speak with Lena.


    After I shut the office door, I shake off the memory of her being kept in that rancid ce. Rats are treated better than those women.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy with the restaurant and the clubs.¡± I hand him a folder with all the bookkeeper reports. ¡°We¡¯re pulling in a muchrger profit than I thought we would the first year.¡± I point at the folder.


    He drops it to his desk without opening it and heads to his bar to make himself a drink.


    ¡°And all that profit will disappear once the taxmanes to collect.¡± He rolls his head from one shoulder to the other. ¡°But it¡¯s a good way to keep the feds off our asses.¡± He tips his ss back and downs his drink.


    ¡°I¡¯ve put in a bid on a property in Skokie and another out in Naperville. If both go our way, we¡¯ll be expanding the restaurant.¡± I slide my hands into my pockets. It¡¯s a bold move to expand so quickly, but right now we have a waitlist of several months. Moving to the right suburbs will spread the word. I didn¡¯t invest so much money in this venture to see it fail. It will seed.


    ¡°So soon?¡±


    ¡°It gives us room to grow all aspects of the business,¡± I exin. I have every intention of bringing more legal businesses into the fold, but I can¡¯t deny the profits we gain with the avenues we walk on the other side of thew.


    His eyebrows arch. ¡°Ah, I see. Exin.¡±


    ¡°The more legal businesses we have, the more we can run through the business.¡±


    He thinks for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s true. We can wash our ownundry instead of depending on so many outsiders.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then. Good. That¡¯s good thinking, Micah.¡± He points at me. ¡°And the stable? Have you given thought on how to best expand the operation?¡±


    I roll my shoulders back. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been thinking about it, and I¡¯m not sure expanding that part of the business is a good idea right now.¡±


    What little light had bloomed in his eyes at my idea to expand the restaurants diminishes. ¡°I told you what I have nned.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± I keep my tone level; any provocation and he¡¯ll throw up his brick wall of ignorance. ¡°I¡¯ve been going over those numbers as well, looking at everything that goes into it and I¡¯m not sure doubling it is a good idea right now. It¡¯s not as profitable as the other streams of ie we have; doubling down on it could put us in the red.¡±


    ¡°You question me?¡± His usationes at me hard, coupled with the same dark disapproval he¡¯s had for me over the years. After Igor¡¯s death it only grew.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m questioning the numbers, the projections,¡± I point out. Money, he understands. It¡¯s probably the only thing he understands.


    ¡°Money will be made.¡± He pours another drink. ¡°We can lower our costs. Sell more. It will work.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°The costs will double if you take in more than you already do. And where will you house between shipments?¡±


    He huffs. ¡°Double up in the cells. It will be fine.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason to double. Why are you so insistent on this part of the business? It¡¯s not making the family as much money as our other streams. There¡¯s no reason-¡±


    ¡°Your brother never would have spoken to me like this,¡± he seethes at me. ¡°Igor knew this business, he built it and you want to tear it down!¡±


    ¡°Tear it down? No. But don¡¯t double down on something that¡¯s not going to double profits. It¡¯s basic math.¡±


    His eyes narrow to slits. ¡°This is that Polish slut getting into your head.¡±


    I move my hands from my pockets and take a step in his direction. ¡°My wife¡¯s name is Lena,¡± I say with gritted teeth. ¡°I won¡¯t have you talking like that about her.¡±


    His brows shoot up. ¡°Oh? You¡¯re going to tell me how to talk now?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my wife.¡±


    ¡°Because I made it so. She¡¯s supposed to be used to humiliate that fucking family, but instead you have her living like a fucking princess up in your tower!¡± Spittle flies from his mouth. ¡°She¡¯s going to be volunteering at that whorehouse of her brothers¡¯?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to have your men talk behind my back, you can just ask me, and I¡¯ll be happy to tell you everything I¡¯m doing,¡± I shoot back at him. ¡°She¡¯s volunteering at the halfway house, yes. And no, she won¡¯t be used in your little game of revenge. What is your obsession?¡± I ask again, having had enough of secrets and backroom conversations.


    He stares at me for a long moment.


    ¡°You¡¯re more like your brother than I thought,¡± he says, but it¡¯s not apliment. I¡¯ve never heard him sound so sour when it came to Igor.


    ¡°Igor would agree with me. The stable isn¡¯t worth more investment.¡± I stand my ground, knowing I¡¯m on thin ice.


    ¡°He probably would.¡± He nods. ¡°Your brother let his fucking cock lead him away from family loyalty, too. Just like you.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    His lips curl inward. A deep red stters over his cheeks. I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s going to swing at me or pull his gun out and shoot me-his anger shakes the air between us.


    ¡°It means you both make me do things I don¡¯t want to do. When Igor failed, I had hoped you would seed. But I see that¡¯s not going to happen.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t making any sense. Igor did nothing but exactly what you wanted.¡±


    ¡°He betrayed me, just like you are.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t do anything to you.¡± I fist my hands. Roman is off on a tangent; keeping him corralled to one subject will be hard now that he¡¯s let his temper get the best of him.


    ¡°No?¡± He ms his empty ss onto the bar. ¡°Igor didn¡¯t understand the Staszek family was not our friends. That dirty Polish fucking family pulled him in.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°While you were off going to college and working so fucking hard getting your clubs and your restaurants up and running, your brother was befriending the fucking Staszek boy. And then he turned on our family, talking crazy shit about shutting down the stable. Not slowing down, but shutting down.¡± He charges at me but stops short of running into me. ¡°You both are fucking weak. I am ashamed to have my blood running through your fucking veins.¡±


    I stare at him in silence, letting his words sink in.


    ¡°Igor was friends with Dominik?¡± I ask.


    ¡°No. The other one, the young one.¡± He wipes a hand across his mouth. ¡°He let that Polish prick talk him into getting rid of the stable-all for some girl.¡±


    The pieces fall into ce.


    ¡°Did you hurt Igor?¡± I demand, the idea popping out of my mouth before my brain filters it out.


    He steps back as though I struck him.


    ¡°No,¡± he yells. ¡°I did no such thing.¡± Pain breaks up the anger in his eyes, and I can¡¯t help but believe him. No matter what Igor did to piss him off, Roman loved him. But even though he didn¡¯t physically harm him, my father has ways of hurting people in worse ways.


    My phone buzzes in my pocket. Probably Niko again. I¡¯ll deal with himter.


    ¡°My not wanting to expand the stables has nothing to do with Lena,¡± I assure my father calmly. ¡°It has everything to do with profits, and there won¡¯t be any if you chase after ventures that don¡¯t produce.¡±


    He keeps his re in ce and shakes his head. ¡°You aren¡¯t in charge of this family yet, Micah. You¡¯ll do what you¡¯re told. The business lines are my domain, and until I¡¯m cold in my grave, you¡¯ll keep doing what you¡¯remanded to do.¡±


    My jaw aches, I clench so tightly. There¡¯s little I can do without fully insulting him, which would result in my wife being put in danger. Myself being put on a fucking stake.


    ¡°As long as you understand, Lena is not to be humiliated. She¡¯s my wife now, and any embarrassment she feels reflects on me. If you disrespect her, you disrespect me.¡± I point at him. ¡°You are my father, and the head of this family, but she is my responsibility. The day she put my ring on her finger is the day she became an Ivanov, and any action against her is an action against us all.¡± He wants to throw around family loyalty, then we can both have ammunition in that fight.


    ¡°Perhaps you should go, Micah, before I do something we both regret.¡± He moves to his desk and sinks into his chair, steeling his hands in front of him. ¡°Go home. Think about where your loyalties lie.¡±


    I¡¯ve been effectively dismissed.


    On my way out of the house, my father¡¯s housekeeper, Katarina, tries to start up a conversation, but I dodge her. This house is no longer weing.


    I have nothing here. And when I find out the truth of all the things he spewed at me, I doubt I will ever be returning.

 63

    Lena


    Micah is quiet in the car on the way to Katfish. He¡¯s been brooding ever since he returned from Roman¡¯s house this afternoon.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have toe if you have things to do,¡± I say to him as the car pulls to a stop outside the club. ¡°I¡¯m sure my brothers can get me a ride home.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he says and climbs out the car.


    A momentter my door opens and his hand thrusts at me. I grab it and let him help me down from the SUV. As soon as the door shuts, Dimitri drives off, probably to find somewhere to park.


    ¡°Are you sure? You seem, I don¡¯t know, not here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Again, he¡¯s curt. We bypass the crowd waiting to get into the club and find our way to the VIP section in the back of the first floor.


    Kasia and Dominik are already here, and Kasia gets up from the booth to hug me. Dominik and Micah nod in greeting but say nothing to each other.


    Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have pushed him toe to Katfish. Just because he doesn¡¯t seem to have the same irrational hatred for my family as his father doesn¡¯t mean this isn¡¯t difficult for him. Especially since Roman had tried to keep me away from all of them.


    Maybe that¡¯s the problem.


    ¡°Is your father angry at you for letting me see my family? Did he say something when you were there today?¡± I lean over to ask Micah so my brother can¡¯t hear me. Thest thing I need is my overprotective brother getting involved.


    He covers my hand on the table. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about Roman tonight.¡±


    When I pull back to inspect his eyes, I see a familiar darkness.


    ¡°Yeah, okay.¡± I nod.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Jakub?¡± Micah asks Dominik.


    ¡°In the office, he had an interview,¡± Dominik answers, his jaw clenches.


    ¡°I need to speak with him.¡± Micah gets up from the booth and gives me a quick look. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Before I can speak, he¡¯s gone.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Kasia asks.


    I watch him maneuver through the crowd on the edge of the dance floor until he disappears into the sea of bodies.


    ¡°He saw his father this afternoon.¡± I shrug.


    ¡°That¡¯s reason enough to put anyone in a bad mood,¡± Kasia says with a smile.


    ¡°What did he meet with him about?¡± Dominik interjects, his eyes wandering over the room. I wonder if he ever rests enough not to notice every bit of action in his surroundings.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t say, but he hasn¡¯t seen him since the wedding so I¡¯m sure Roman gave him grief over it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back. You two don¡¯t get in any trouble while I¡¯m gone.¡± Dominik kisses Kasia¡¯s cheek then gets up and leaves.


    ¡°What is he doing?¡±


    Kasia shrugs. ¡°He¡¯s probably going to eavesdrop on Jakub.¡±


    ¡°He holds the reins too tightly on Jakub,¡± I say.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably true. But enough about them, how are things with you?¡±


    ¡°As good as I would expect, I suppose.¡±


    Kasiaughs.


    ¡°What?¡± I demand.


    ¡°I saw the disappointment in you when Micah walked away. Things are going better than good, I¡¯d say.¡±


    ¡°He works a lot. Gets calls at all hours of the night.¡± I shrug. Putting my feelings for Micah beneath a microscope is not what this evening is about. Micah needs a night out, a few hours where he¡¯s not working. Though I¡¯m sure he only said yes toing to Katfish so I could see my brothers.


    ¡°That won¡¯t change.¡± Kasia¡¯s smile fades a bit at the edges. ¡°It¡¯s just part of who they are. It doesn¡¯t mean anything about you if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried.¡± I straighten my shoulders. ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less what Micah does. It¡¯s his life, he can do what he wants.¡±


    Kasiaughs again, harder this time. ¡°Lena. You¡¯re not a very good liar.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are, but you probably don¡¯t even know it yet. You like him. A lot, by the looks of things.¡± Kasia reaches across the table andys her hand on mine. ¡°It¡¯s hard to understand falling in love with someone you were supposed to hate. It goes against logic, I know. Believe me.¡± She squeezes my hand. ¡°I know.¡±


    Love him?


    I gear up to argue, to dispute everything she says, but there¡¯s a sense of calm thates over me as I think on it. Am I falling in love with him?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much over it. It¡¯s not like you have a choice in the matter. And besides, it wouldn¡¯t be the worst thing in the world to love your husband.¡± Kasia pats my hand and sits back in her seat. ¡°I wish Jakub would get a new DJ.¡±


    The music had switched over to a sharp techno beat that sounded like an assault on my eardrums.


    I lean back in my seat. A waiter stops at our table and delivers Kasia and me a ss of wine that we didn¡¯t order. Dominik had it sent over, he tells us.


    ¡°When do your sses start?¡± Kasia sips at her fresh drink.


    ¡°Next week.¡± I wrap my fingers around the stem of my ss. Micah¡¯s been gone a while and so has Dominik. The VIP section is less noisy than the rest of the club thanks to Jakub¡¯s installment of noise-dampening features, so it¡¯s easier to talk with Kasia, but still, a chill runs over me. Something isn¡¯t right.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡± I slide my drink to the middle of the table and scoot from the table.


    ¡°No. Don¡¯t leave me here by myself.¡± She follows me from the table. ¡°Where are we going anyway?¡± she asks as we wiggle past a bachelorette party.


    ¡°To find Micah.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s probably not going to like that.¡± She tugs on my arm. ¡°So, let me go first. I¡¯ll say I was looking for Dominik.¡±


    I see no reason not to shelter behind her, so I let her get in front of me and let her lead the way toward the offices in the back.


    The music fades as we make our way down the corridor to Jakub¡¯s office. Once we¡¯re at his door, tense voices creep from behind.


    ¡°It was a long time ago; I don¡¯t remember much,¡± Jakub says. Kasia reaches for the handle, but I pull her hand away and shake my head at her.


    Whatever conversation is happening inside, I want the organic version.


    ¡°But he spoke to you about my father¡¯s business.¡± Micah¡¯s tense voicees through clear.


    ¡°He mentioned he wished he hadn¡¯t helped build the damn stable. That¡¯s all, Micah. Look, I partied with him a few times. We weren¡¯t close. Most of what he said was while he was piss drunk.¡±


    ¡°Why does any of this matter, anyway?¡± Dominik¡¯s voice chimes in.


    ¡°Roman sees it differently. He believes that you put the idea into his head about getting rid of the stables. He mes you for it,¡± Micah exins.


    My chest twists at the news. Roman idolized Igor from what Micah has told me. If he truly believes my family turned Igor from one of Roman¡¯s projects, that exins his taste for vengeance now. After Dominik stopped one of their shipments, it all exploded for Roman.


    ¡°It had nothing to do with me,¡± Jakub insists, his tone turning angry. ¡°Igor was involved with some girl. She was the reason.¡±


    ¡°I think I know who you¡¯re talking about,¡± Micah says, calmer now. ¡°One second,¡± he says and a few secondster he says, ¡°Niko. What?¡±


    I look down at Kasia, who has crouched down trying to see through the blinds of the window beside the door. She turns a curious nce up at me. What do we do now? Just stay out here and eavesdrop or get in there and find out what exactly is going on?


    ¡°He was willing to sell?¡± Micah¡¯s voice starts up again. ¡°How much¡­ uh huh¡­ two hundred fifty? That¡¯s all? What¡¯s her condition?¡±


    A sharp tingle zips up my spine. He¡¯s buying a woman?


    ¡°Fine, yeah, that¡¯s good. Get the doctor to look her over.¡±


    I shove away from the door. ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough.¡±


    ¡°Lena, wait.¡± Kasia pulls at my arm. ¡°Don¡¯t leave. You don¡¯t know what we heard. It¡¯s just one side.¡±


    I try to get around her, but she¡¯s annoyingly limber and blocks me every step I try to make.


    ¡°He¡¯s buying a woman, Kasia. What else do I need to know? This is the man that I¡¯m falling in love with? A man who puts a dor value on the life of a woman?¡± I shake my head as the words spill free of my mouth. Tears build up in my eyes.


    She hugs me tight. ¡°Ask him about it. Assuming you know what¡¯s going on will only cause a fight when there might not be a reason for one.¡±


    I pull free of her embrace. ¡°And if he tells me he did buy her? That he¡¯s not happy with the stable but he¡¯s going to keep working it? What am I supposed to do then? Leaving him will only cause a fight with Roman.¡±


    She pinches her lips together. ¡°From all the stories your brothers have told me about, I never pictured you as someone who gives up so easily.¡±


    ¡°Gives up? I¡¯m not giving up.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you trying to run off?¡± she asks, folding her arms over her chest.


    She¡¯s right, of course. Before I met Micah, I would shove through that door and demand answers. But that was before. I had nothing to lose then.


    My chest clenches, keeping the air from my lungs. I close my eyes and slowly drag in a breath, concentrating on my lungs filling, stretching until I can¡¯t hold it anymore and let it out. I do this again before I face Kasia, my nerves somewhat settled.


    ¡°If he tells me he¡¯s going to help his father, I¡¯ll lose him,¡± I say quietly. ¡°I¡¯ll lose myself, too because I couldn¡¯t feel this way about a man like that. I just couldn¡¯t.¡±


    She stares at me for a long beat.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°But you¡¯re right. I don¡¯t give up, and I don¡¯t need him or my brothers to define what or who I am.¡± Before any wind can fall from my sails, I spin on my heel and burst into Jakub¡¯s office.


    All three sets of firm, angry eyes turn on me. But I won¡¯t be deterred.


    ¡°What is going on?¡± I demand.


    ¡°Lena, what are you doing back here?¡± Micah asks. ¡°I told you to stay at the table.¡±


    ¡°Contrary to what your family believes, I¡¯m not some possession to be put on a shelf until ready for use.¡±


    Micah¡¯s jaw clenches. ¡°Watch yourself, princess,¡± Micah warns, his heated re settles on me.


    ¡°Kasia, what¡¯s going on?¡± Dominik avoids me and asks his wife.


    ¡°You all disappeared, and we were just looking for you,¡± she answers simply with a shrug but stands firm behind me.


    ¡°What were you talking to Niko about?¡± I settle my own re on Micah. It¡¯s not nearly as fiery, I think; I haven¡¯t had the practice he¡¯s had. But I won¡¯t back down on this.


    ¡°An issue that¡¯s being resolved,¡± Micah says, keeping me pinned to the floor with his gaze.


    ¡°What issue?¡±


    ¡°A business issue.¡±


    ¡°Lena, leave it be for now.¡± Dominik touches my arm, but I shove it away.


    ¡°Did you just tell Niko to buy a woman for your father¡¯s stable? Did you just give him the okay?¡± I ask. I¡¯m not beating around the bush.


    ¡°Not exactly.¡±


    ¡°You told him to buy a woman though.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I did.¡± He slides his hands into his pockets as though this is no big deal. He might as well have told Niko to pick up a pizza for dinner with the casual way he confesses his sin.


    ¡°Is that why you¡¯ve been so busy this week? You¡¯ve been helping your father stock up the stable?¡±


    His eyebrow arches. ¡°I¡¯ve been working, Lena. You know that.¡±


    ¡°That answers nothing.¡± I turn to Jakub. ¡°And what is your involvement with all this? Roman seeks to punish me because of you?¡±


    Jakub stands straighter, his eyes darken. I¡¯ve never seen him irritated before, at least not with me, but now that I have, I¡¯m not sure I like it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t put any of this bullshit on my doorstep. I knew Igor years ago. I didn¡¯t have any sort of business dealings or friendship. He happened to be at the same party I was at, nothing more than that. If Roman wants to me me for Igor getting a conscience, that¡¯s his problem.¡±


    I can¡¯t breathe, the air gets too thick. Sucking in a harsh breath doesn¡¯t help; it only gets stuck in my throat. I fist and unfist my hands, trying to work the anxiety from my chest and into my fingers. I need to breathe.


    ¡°Lena, you need to calm down.¡± Micah steps to me. ¡°Breathe, slow, baby, breathe slow.¡±


    I jerk away from him. His tendernesses from a ck soul. One that puts no value on a woman. He¡¯s his father¡¯s son.


    It would have been better if he¡¯d just left me in the stable. Having a happy ending dangling in front of me and then ripping it away is worse. So much worse.


    ¡°Lena, calm down.¡± Dominik crowds me, too.


    I shove away from all of them as tears roll down my cheeks.


    ¡°I hate you,¡± I say to Micah with a shaking voice. It¡¯s the best I can do. There¡¯s a clog in my chest that¡¯s not letting anything else out. ¡°I truly hate you.¡±


    ¡°Lena.¡± He reaches for me, intent on grabbing me, but I¡¯m not sticking around. I¡¯m done being the pawn in this game of men.


    ¡°No.¡± I turn and run out of the room and down the hall. I hear the office door open and fast steps behind me, but it only makes me run faster.


    I get outside the club, past the bouncer, and eye an Uber pulling up to the curb. Two women step out and as soon as they¡¯re clear, I jump in and lock the door.


    ¡°Hey. You have to use the app for a pickup. I can¡¯t just take you,¡± the driver argues with me.


    Micah rushes out of the club, looking up and down the street for me. Then his pitch ck eyesnd on mine, his jaw snaps closed, his eyes narrow.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you twice your fee, just get me away from here,¡± I say.


    He follows my gaze. ¡°Yeah. Okay, sure.¡± The car shifts into gear, and he pulls out into traffic just as Micah reaches the car.


    Once we¡¯re a block away, I turn back around and take a steady breath. I flick away the tears on my cheeks.


    ¡°Where do you need me to take you?¡± he asks.


    I have nowhere to go. Nowhere he won¡¯t find me.


    So, I head to the only ce a woman with no options can find safety.

 64

    Lena


    It¡¯ste by the time the Uber pulls up to the single family Victorian tucked away in the western suburb. Thankfully, I¡¯d kept my purse with me, so I¡¯m able to give him the fare without a problem and he happily takes the double payment.


    The chill of the fall night descends on me as I climb the wooden steps. I¡¯ve always favored these old Victorian houses. I step up onto the wooden porch that wraps around the house. Rocking chairs and patio benches are lined up along the house beside therge bay windows. It has a deep feeling of home with the warm orange and brown hues of the exterior paints.


    I ring the bell. At thiste hour the rm system will have been enabled and I don¡¯t have the code with me. Thest thing anyone inside needs or wants is the police showing up and bringing a lot of attention to the house.


    The light just inside the door flickers on and the inte fizzles to life.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± chimes a familiar voice.


    ¡°Hi. It¡¯s Lena. I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s sote, but I needed-¡± Before I finish exining the door swings open and the porch door is pushed at me, letting me inside.


    ¡°Lena. Come in. Sorry, I couldn¡¯t see clear through the camera.¡± Sandra, the night shift manager, greets me, shutting and locking the door behind me once I¡¯m inside the main foyer of the house.


    ¡°The lighting isn¡¯t great on the porch,¡± Iment.


    Sandra smiles and folds her arms over her chest. She¡¯s already dressed for bed in a pair of pink and gray cotton pajamas.


    ¡°Kasia¡¯s not here tonight,¡± she says.


    ¡°Oh, I know.¡± I fiddle with my purse. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this is weird, I just didn¡¯t really know where else to go. I just¡­¡± I¡¯m stumbling like a moron over my words.


    ¡°Sandra, we need-¡± Niko steps into the front hall from the staircase. His words fail when he sees me standing with Sandra.


    ¡°Lena.¡± His eyes harden. ¡°What are you doing here? Is Micah with you?¡± He looks behind him, as though Micah would be able to hide behind my frame.


    ¡°No. I just, I was-what are you doing here?¡± I go on the offense.


    ¡°He brought a woman in this evening. Dr. Sanja is with her now.¡± Sandra turns to Niko. ¡°What do you need?¡±


    ¡°The doc is done, she needs fresh clothes. I didn¡¯t see any in the room you¡¯re putting her in,¡± Niko tells her while keeping his stare on me.


    ¡°I was just getting them when the bell rang. I¡¯ll get them for her.¡± Sandra takes a step but then turns back to me. ¡°Do you need me?¡±


    ¡°No. No. I¡¯m fine. Go on.¡±


    She gives a nod then jogs up the stairs to where the women have private rooms. The medical rooms are also upstairs and if Niko brought that woman here, she would be with the doctor.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Is that the woman you bought for Micah?¡± I demand.


    ¡°Micah doesn¡¯t know you¡¯re here, does he?¡±


    ¡°Answer me.¡± I clench my fist.


    He pulls out his phone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± I get to him before he finishes dialing and snag his phone.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± He reaches over and snatches it right back from me. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Is the girl you bought for Micah upstairs?¡± I ask, raising my chin a fraction. He doesn¡¯t answer me; he¡¯s too busy typing away on his phone. Tattling probably.


    I shove him to the side and hurry up the stairs to the medical room.


    ¡°Lena!¡± Niko¡¯s voice is sharp enough to reach up the stairs as I head toward the medical rooms at the end of the hall.


    Niko¡¯s hurried steps mingle with my own on the wood flooring as I head to the exam room. He¡¯s right next to me when I push the door open.


    A woman sits on the exam table. Her hair has been washed and brushed back from her face, and that¡¯s where my heart rips in two. Bruises line the right side of her jaw. Her left eyebrow has been stitched, but it¡¯s still an angry red. These aren¡¯t the worst of her injuries. The medical gown slips down her shoulder and badly healed scars litter her shoulders down her back.


    She doesn¡¯t seem startled by my sudden intrusion. How often has this woman even had privacy? When she looks up at me, there¡¯s a deep sadness, mistrust raging in her eyes.


    ¡°Demetria, it¡¯s okay. This is Lena.¡± Niko pushes past me from behind and goes to her at the table. He picks up her hand and holds it. ¡°She¡¯s Micah¡¯s wife.¡±


    I step closer to the table, my stomach in knots imagining the horrors this woman has seen.


    ¡°Niko, what happened to her?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Here we go.¡± Sandra walks in with a pile of clothing. Soft pajamas from what I can make out. ¡°We¡¯ll have more for you in the morning,¡± she says to Demetria and ces the pajamas on the bed beside her.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Demetria whispers and picks up the clothes with one hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you change.¡± Niko puts her hand down.


    ¡°Are you leaving?¡± Demetria asks, panic clear in her voice.


    Niko touches her cheek. ¡°No. I¡¯m going to be just outside the door. When you¡¯re ready just let me know. I¡¯ll help you to your room.¡±


    She gives a shaky nod.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to talk with the doctor. Come get me if you need,¡± Sandra says.


    Niko nods. ¡°I¡¯ll get her in bed. I¡¯m spending the night outside her door. It will make her feel better. Micah was going toe in the morning but-¡± He pauses to give me a stern look. Obviously, I¡¯m intruding and messing up everything. ¡°He¡¯ll be here tonight instead.¡±


    Heat rushes over my face. I¡¯ve misread everything. Micah wasn¡¯t putting this woman in the stable, he was saving her. The women in this house are here because they have nowhere else to turn, because they¡¯ve been rescued from the likes of the Ivanov family, or they¡¯ve escaped horrendous abuses. I¡¯m here running away from a fight with my husband.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I say quietly and leave the room. Once in the hall, a dark shadow falls over me.


    Micah is here.


    I tilt my head back to find his angry re settling on me as he walks thest steps toward me.


    ¡°Micah. How¡¯d you get here so fast?¡± I ask, momentarily confused.


    ¡°Tracker on your phone. Remember?¡± he says. That¡¯s right. I never made him take it off. Another wave of embarrassment washes over me.


    ¡°Stand right there, and don¡¯t move.¡± He moves past me as Nikoes out of the room. ¡°She¡¯s in there?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the doc just finished. Broken ribs, bruises, cuts-he really fucked her up.¡± Niko keeps his voice level, letting me hear the extent of her injuries.


    ¡°What did he say about Roman?¡± Micah asks, his jaw clenching as they talk.


    ¡°Exactly what we thought. Roman came to him, offered her. Micah, he didn¡¯t take a penny for her. He only wanted the prick to send him periodic videos and pictures of his work.¡±


    Micah¡¯s hands ball together. ¡°Did you talk to her?¡±


    ¡°She told me a little. She was kidnapped and put in your father¡¯s stable. Igor removed her from it, hid her best he could from your father¡¯s auctions. After his ident, Roman found her.¡±


    ¡°And he made her pay for what Igor wanted to do, what he started to do.¡± Micah¡¯s voice dipped lower. ¡°He gave her to that fucking monster because Igor no longer wanted to back expansion of the stable.¡±


    My throat clenches as the betrayal and pain sh in his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m staying here for the night-to be sure she¡¯s all right and feels safe,¡± Niko exins, but there¡¯s an undercurrent of protection that I haven¡¯t seen in him before. It¡¯s only been a short time, but Niko¡¯s usually aloof. This woman is important to him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Micah says. ¡°Igor would want you here with her in his absence.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do with Roman?¡± Niko¡¯s questionnds with a virtual thud between them.


    ¡°First things first,¡± he says and nces in my direction. My insides curl. I¡¯ve fucked up. I¡¯ve been selfish and untrusting.


    Micah wouldn¡¯t do what I used him of doing. Micah isn¡¯t like his father. He¡¯s ruthless and demanding, yes, but he¡¯s not a monster. He would never hurt an innocent.


    ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± a soft voice calls from the medical room.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk tomorrow.¡± Niko enters the room, closing the door firmly behind him, leaving only Micah and me in the hall.


    When Micah turns his attentions on me directly, my breath catches.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he says, cupping my elbow and leading me toward the stairs.


    I don¡¯t argue, or fight, or even hesitate in my step. I¡¯ve been aplete idiot tonight. Micah will help make things right between us.


    I only hope I¡¯m strong enough to take it.

 65

    Micah


    It¡¯s one in the morning by the time we get home. Lena didn¡¯t speak in the car ride back from the Staszek halfway house, and the ride up in the elevator was just as silent. Now that we¡¯re home, she slithers down the hall to our bedroom.


    Every click of my leather-soled shoes on the tile makes her body tense another fraction. She¡¯ll break in half if she lets herself get any more wound up.


    When she ran from Jakub¡¯s office, my first instinct was to get her and drag her back inside. But as the car pulled away with her staring out the back, tears shimmering in her silver blue eyes, fear trickled over me. Did she really believe me capable of the things she used?


    Thanks to the tracker on her phone, I was able to get to her within minutes of her stepping out of that damn Uber. She¡¯s lucky she had her purse with her; what if she had nothing with her? How would she have paid the fee? What would have happened to her if she couldn¡¯t?


    As I walk down the long hallway to our rooms, the whirlwind of emotions returns. I¡¯ve had women run off on me before out of anger. A great dramatic ploy to get attention, but Lena isn¡¯t like that. She didn¡¯t want me finding her. That¡¯s why she went to the halfway house.


    If I hadn¡¯t had the tracker on her, I probably wouldn¡¯t have thought to look there. At least not at first. The mess with Demetria already had my nerves on edge, along with my meeting with Roman this afternoon. Having my wife run off on me has only put the icing on an extremely bitter cake.


    Lena¡¯s already unzipping her dress when I enter the bedroom behind her. I walk past her to my side of the bed and strip out of my suit, down to my cks.


    ¡°Micah.¡± Lena¡¯s voice is soft, submissive even. When I look at her, there are tears again, dancing on the brim of her eyelids.


    I fold my arms over my bare chest. I hadn¡¯t nned to talk with her yet. Not until the rawness of the evening wears away, but she looks damn pitiful.


    ¡°Micah, I¡¯m sorry.¡± She fiddles with her fingers. The dress has been quickly reced with a thigh-length pajama shirt. I¡¯d teased her about the casual nightgown when she¡¯d worn it the first time. I don¡¯t feel like teasing right now.


    ¡°For what?¡± I say, unable to keep the edge from my voice.


    She blows out a breath. ¡°A lot of things.¡± She takes in a shaky breath and holds it before letting it out.


    Once she has her bearings, she continues.


    ¡°I should have asked you what was happening earlier. I shouldn¡¯t have assumed you were doing what I used you of just from an overheard conversation. And I shouldn¡¯t have run away like that.¡± Her apology is sincere and heartfelt. The little shudder of her breath tears away ayer of my anger.


    ¡°I asked you to trust me. You said you could do that,¡± I remind her. The bed being between us is the only thing keeping me from pulling her to my chest. Seeing the sadness in her, the regret, it¡¯s painful.


    ¡°I know.¡± She nods. ¡°And I do trust you, or at least, I¡¯m trying to.¡±


    ¡°Then exin what happened tonight.¡±


    Her full lips pull down into a deep frown. ¡°I messed up. You were so tense after you met with Roman this afternoon, and then when I heard you on the phone with Niko-I made an assumption.¡±


    I stare at her, taking in the remorse, the sweetness of her truth and an overwhelming sense rushes over me.


    I love this woman.


    And with that newssh, the anger washes away, leaving me only with a sense to protect her. Even from herself.


    ¡°You¡¯ve spent your entire life hearing only bits and pieces of things because your brothers and father have sheltered you. And I¡¯m doing the same.¡± I rub the back of my neck. ¡°I want to protect you, to keep you from seeing the fucked-up world we live in. Because there are monsters out there, Lena. Worse than my father, and I don¡¯t want you exposed to them. Ever.¡±


    ¡°I can handle the monsters, Micah.¡± She glides around the bed, settling in front of me. ¡°So long as I have you by my side.¡± A soft pink tints her cheeks, and her eyes fall to my chin.


    A feather could push me over after her words sink into my heart.


    ¡°You mean that, don¡¯t you?¡± I ask, still skeptical. How can a woman with such purity and strength have such feelings toward a man like me? At every turn she¡¯s followed her own path, even when it meant deceiving and hiding her true self from her family. I¡¯ve done nothing but follow where I was told to go by my father. Responsibility to my family name led me by the nose through my entire life.


    But I would risk it all, break through the noose around my neck if it meant protecting her.


    ¡°I do, Micah. I¡¯m sorry I was such a brat tonight. I shouldn¡¯t have run away like that, and I shouldn¡¯t have assumed anything when I heard you talking.¡±


    ¡°Considering my family businesses, and your experiences with them, I don¡¯t think it was such a far stretch of the imagination.¡± I can concede that much on her behalf. My fingers itch to touch her silky-smooth skin, but once I do, I won¡¯t be able to stop myself.


    ¡°But you¡¯re not your father.¡± She sits on the bed and looks up at me. ¡°You¡¯re a good man, Micah. You saved that woman tonight.¡±


    Using my fingertips, I push the hair from her face and tuck it behind her ear. ¡°Demetria was the woman my brother saved. Right before he died, he fell for her and took her from the stable before Roman could sell her. But Roman found out, and after Igor¡¯s death he hunted her down and sold her to the worst man he could find. Niko¡¯s been quietly searching for her since, but Roman wouldn¡¯t divulge who the buyer was. Niko was finally able to find her.¡±


    Sadness touches her eyes. It makes my stomach ache to see it, but she has too big of a heart not to be empathetic to Demetria¡¯s plight.


    ¡°He never told you about her?¡±


    I clench my jaw. Igor and I never had a strong rtionship. He¡¯d been groomed from birth to take over for my father when the time came, while I was put on the back burner. Igor had his confidants, but I wasn¡¯t one of them.


    ¡°Igor and I weren¡¯t close.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible your father hurt Igor because of Demetria?¡± she asks, but there¡¯s hesitation there. It¡¯s a dangerous question.


    ¡°No.¡± I shake my head. ¡°Roman had other issues with Igor. But he wouldn¡¯t have killed him for them. He would have tossed him to the side and made me next in line. Sending Igor into exile after spending his entire life waiting for his time in the sun would have been a harsher punishment than death.¡±


    Though if Igor felt for Demetria what I feel for Lena, I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s so true.


    She picks up my hand and brings it to her cheek, leaning into my palm. Such fragility and strength mingled together with her simple gesture. ¡°I really fucked up.¡±


    I chuckle. ¡°And now you¡¯re adding badnguage to the list.¡±


    When she turns her gaze up to me, there¡¯s uncertainty lingering in her stare. It¡¯s as though she wants to say something, confess something-but is holding back. Maybe it¡¯s the same thing I¡¯m keeping to myself but analyzing all of that will take time. And right now, I have a naughty wife to deal with.


    She lets go of my hand and gets up from the bed, heading around the footboard.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I ask her.


    She points to her pillow. ¡°To bed?¡±


    Iugh. ¡°Do you really think that¡¯s how this ys out?¡±


    Her smile fades, as well as her confidence. ¡°I already apologized, Micah.¡±


    I nod. ¡°You did, that¡¯s right. Do you think my goal when I punish you is to make you sorry? All that does is make you sorry you got caught, not regretful of your actions.¡±


    She tugs at the hem of her nightshirt.


    ¡°You ran away tonight, Lena. You got in a cab and took off. Do you really think I¡¯m letting you get into bed before you pay the consequence?¡±


    She looks away, as though she can ignore the situation. But there¡¯s something else in her expression. Relief.


    Lena


    Whatever Micah is nning, it can¡¯t be worse than the heavy regret suffocating me. It¡¯s more than just the way I acted at the club or running away from him that¡¯s leaving this ache in my chest. It¡¯s the pure disappointment written all over his features when he saw me at the halfway house. The dead silence that built between us in the car on the way home. The fear that I¡¯d made everything so bad, we¡¯d go back to square one.


    As much as I didn¡¯t want this marriage, now that we¡¯re in the thick of it, I don¡¯t share the same anger about it. I may never be loved by Micah, but I know he¡¯ll respect me.


    ¡°You took the evening from me, princess. Your behavior stole the night,¡± he says while stalking his way around the bed toward me. He unbuckles his belt, making my ass clench at the prospect of what is toe.


    ¡°I know.¡± I won¡¯t argue. I¡¯ll take what he gives me and wipe the te clean. And tomorrow, things can go back to how they were.


    ¡°So now-¡± He reaches out to me and shoves me to my knees. Grabbing my hair in his fist, he yanks my head back. ¡°I¡¯m going to take from you, and you¡¯re going to be a good girl and deal with it.¡±


    With his free hand, he reaches into his unzipped pants and pulls out his thick cock. Slowly he strokes himself until a bead of pre-cum rests at the tip.


    ¡°Open that pretty mouth, Lena, and keep it open.¡± He holds the head of his dick at my lips. I¡¯m not stupid enough to pretend this is going to be easy. This is not better than an ass whipping with his belt. He¡¯ll be sure of it.


    As soon as my mouth opens, he shoves his cock past my lips, down down down until he hits the back of my throat. Instinctively, my throat clenches and I start to gag, but he holds me firmly.


    ¡°Breathe, princess. Swallow me down,¡± he orders, tugging on my hair to keep my attention where he wants it.


    I nt my hands t on his thighs to brace myself, nothing more. There will be no pushing away from this, Micah will take what¡¯s his, and I can¡¯t stop him.


    I don¡¯t even want to.


    Finally, my throat rxes, and he slips further down. I¡¯m able to swallow again and keep from gagging.


    ¡°Good, princess,¡± he coos and pulls back from my mouth. Never leavingpletely but gives me enough space to take in a breath. It¡¯s a minuscule break though, before I can steady my breathing, he¡¯s pumping back into my mouth-fucking my face with as much fever as he fucks my pussy.


    I¡¯m already soaking my panties with his roughness and his power.


    ¡°Fuck, princess. Yes. Just like this.¡± He holds my face on both sides and pushes me back until my head is against the bed. I have nowhere to go. I¡¯m simply his vessel. His little fuck toy.


    My clit twitches at the thought, but I don¡¯t dare touch myself.


    Over and over again he pumps into my mouth, down my throat while I struggle for breath. After several strokes, he slows, letting me take a gasp. Tears leak down my cheeks, but he¡¯s not swayed by them.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Bad girl tears don¡¯t run in sweet little lines like this.¡± He smears them across my cheeks. ¡°Better.¡± He groans, then thrusts forward again.


    Spit collects at the edges of my lips, spilling down my chin, but still, he doesn¡¯t stop.


    His balls tighten, his strokes are slower, deeper. He¡¯s going to explode down my throat. I curl my hand around his balls, gently cupping and massaging him. The animalistic howl he lets loose tells me I did right.


    ¡°Fuck. Fuck.¡± He moves his hand from my head to the bed and leans more into me. Another stroke, then another until he stills. Hot streams of cum shoot and spurt into my mouth, down my throat, over my tongue. I swallow as quickly as I can, and each constriction of my throat earns a muffled groan from him.


    ¡°Hold still, baby.¡± He eases his cock from my mouth, then tips my chin up. ¡°You¡¯ve made a mess of yourself.¡± He grins down at me and just like that, in that moment his disapproval washes away.


    ¡°Can I have a towel?¡±


    He yanks off his t-shirt and wipes my chin and mouth clean. As he squats in front of me, he searches my face.


    ¡°You¡¯re not to touch that pretty pussy of yours tonight, Lena. You¡¯ll go to sleep hungry for my release, do you understand me?¡±


    ¡°I understand, Micah.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± He kisses me gently. ¡°Let¡¯s get to bed. I have an early morning.¡± In one movement, he sweeps me into his arms and lifts me from my knees. I¡¯m dropped into the bed with a bounce.


    Once we¡¯re both in bed, beneath the covers, he snakes his heavy arm around my middle and drags me to him. There hasn¡¯t been a night since he¡¯s brought me to his bed that I¡¯ve gone to sleep without his embrace.


    I may never have his love, but I can live with this much from him.


    I¡¯ll have to.

 66

    Micah


    I haven¡¯t had dinner with Lena in three nights. Between her volunteer time at the Staszek house and my working on the expansion of the restaurants, we¡¯ve had no time together. We¡¯ve fallen into a routine of sips of coffee between bites of breakfast as we get ready for our days.


    These damn ledgers I¡¯m staring at can wait. I grab my phone to text her that I¡¯ll meet her at home for dinner, but the door to my office bursts open and Roman stomps inside. I put my phone down and prepare myself for whatever storm he wants to bring in with him.


    ¡°Here you are. Of course, tucked in the back office of your restaurant instead of doing what I asked of you.¡± Roman ms the door closed.


    ¡°What did you ask of me?¡± I stand up from my chair and fold my arms over my chest.


    ¡°You have invested all of your time into the restaurants. Into your dance clubs. Not one minute have you spent on the Ivanov businesses!¡± He points a shaky finger at me.


    ¡°The Ivanov businesses include my restaurants and my clubs. I¡¯m not doing anything you didn¡¯t already know about. I told you I don¡¯t think expanding the stables is a good idea. We need more legitimate businesses, so the other avenues of our revenue are easier to filter.¡± This conversation is so damn old cobwebs grow from it.


    ¡°Nothing I didn¡¯t know about?¡± His lips curl inward as he asks. ¡°Demetria? You told me about her, did you?¡±


    I leave emotion from my expression. It¡¯s one of the first things you learn growing up in my family. Never expose your true thoughts.


    ¡°Demetria was a private situation. It had nothing to do with you or the Ivanov businesses.¡±


    The information was also kept closely guarded. Two people other than me knew about Demetria. Finding her and extracting her had been Niko¡¯s doing, his secret self-imposed mission since the death of my brother. He wouldn¡¯t ruin all of that by telling Roman.


    ¡°Ah.¡± He nods, but it¡¯s a farce. This calmness he¡¯s trying to portray is just the buildup until he unleashes his fury. ¡°So, going behind my back to collect a woman who ruined your brother has nothing to do with me. Nothing to do with our family?¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t ruin Igor. He had opinions. You just didn¡¯t agree with them.¡± I hold my ground. This man before me, seething and ready to throw a toddler-worthy tantrum is not the fire-breathing father I grew up with. He¡¯sced with self-doubt and riddled with paranoia.


    ¡°Igor never would have even thought of going against me without her in his ear.¡±


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t against you. Neither am I. He didn¡¯t want you doubling down on the stables. But it doesn¡¯t really matter now, though, does it? Igor¡¯s not here.¡± I m my fist into my desk. ¡°He¡¯s not here. I am. I am your son, the one you keep touting as your heir. The one you say you want to take over the business when you retire, but you refuse to listen to anything I say.¡±


    ¡°Because you want to take our family out of the business I¡¯ve grown. The businesses that have proven profitable and can bring us even more money, more power. We are within grasp of having more control of this city and with that we can do whatever we want.¡±


    ¡°The business streams that make a profit and keep the costs and risks low aren¡¯t being questioned. But your obsession with the fucking stable. For what? So you can get your cock sucked off at your whim?¡±


    His jaw snaps shut, and irate red covers his face, but I¡¯m not done yet.


    ¡°It¡¯s not profitable. Not anymore. And if you double down on it, it will cost us money. Let the other families chase their money with the girls. We have solid lines that make us twice as much, and the legit businesses not only increase our profits, but give us a shield.¡± I march around my desk. No more hiding behind the shade of my brother. No more tiptoeing around my father¡¯s bullshit. If I¡¯m to lead this family, I can¡¯t allow his temper tantrums to sway my actions. ¡°You do what you want with the stable, but I won¡¯t work on it anymore. And my men won¡¯t either.¡± He has his own guys, but he¡¯s counted on my crews do some of his dirty work. He¡¯ll have to bring up his own ranks now.


    ¡°You think to tell me what is going to happen in my family?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°No. You do what you think is best. I¡¯ll keep running the legitimate business side, and the other streams. You take the stable. Unless you¡¯d like to retire altogether?¡±


    There are men loyal to my father who would dly cut off my head if given the direction, but I have more. I don¡¯t rule my men with fear, I rule with confidence and leadership. I won¡¯t ask anyone to cross lines here though; this is still the Ivanov family. And Roman will be the head until he chooses otherwise.


    ¡°Retire?¡± He says the word as though someone just shit in his mouth. ¡°Why would I do such a stupid thing?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re obsessed with a business that¡¯s dead. Because you can¡¯t see what¡¯s best for the family anymore, you only see what you want.¡±


    I half expect one of his guys toe through the door and shoot me. Men don¡¯t survive talking to Roman Ivanov the way I am.


    He stares at me, the color fading on his cheeks until he¡¯s back in control of his anger. With a deep breath, he straightens his shoulders.


    ¡°I had a feeling you¡¯d feel this way, Micah.¡± The sneer in his voice lessens my confidence that I¡¯m not about to get my ass handed to me.


    ¡°I¡¯m only asking you to be logical.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    He pulls out his phone and taps out a text message. After he puts it back in his inside pocket, he turns his twisted grin on me. ¡°Why do you boys make me do things to you that will hurt you?¡±


    Dread runs through my veins. ¡°What the fuck does that mean?¡± I demand.


    He shrugs and heads for the door.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± I grab my phone from my desk.


    ¡°You¡¯re aspromised as your brother was. I waited too long to get rid of the problem for him, but with you, I¡¯m taking action faster.¡±


    I dial Lena¡¯s phone and press the phone to my ear. She¡¯s at home. She¡¯s safe there.


    The phone rings and rings.


    When the call goes to voicemail, I look back at the door. My father¡¯s gone.


    I dial the phone again.


    More ringing.


    Voicemail.


    Sweat breaks out on my brow. Maybe she¡¯s in the bathroom. Maybe she left her phone in the other room. Maybe she just doesn¡¯t hear it.


    No matter what excuse I tell myself, the ice skating down my spine won¡¯t go away.


    I¡¯m out the door before the next ring of her phone, and in my car before the voicemail picks up.


    If he touched a single hair on her head, I¡¯ll kill him myself.

 67

    Lena


    A sharp throb in my temples wakes me from a restless sleep. As my eyes flutter open, a bright light makes me close them again.


    I focus on the noise surrounding me. A deepughes from far away. Metal nks against a cement floor somewhere behind me. The shrill cry of a woman pleading sends ice coursing through my body.


    I¡¯m in the stable again. But not in the private room they had me inst time. There¡¯s a draft blowing against me as I lie on a metal b. My wrists are bound to it, my ankles as well. I work my eyes open, turning my head to the side-away from the light shining down on me.


    It¡¯s an open room, underground I think from the chill and the concrete floors and walls. No windows.


    A metal door ms after another woman cries. There¡¯s a hallway. I must be in the main room of the stable. Tugging at the bindings on my wrists and ankles does no good. They¡¯re medical grade. The Ivanovs have experience with this; they aren¡¯t going to use something flimsy like tape.


    ¡°She¡¯s in the medical room,¡± a dark voice says from behind me. Okay, so that¡¯s where I am. I guess that exins the metal table.


    ¡°Did you start yet?¡±


    I freeze at the sound of that voice. I know it, I know him.


    What is Dimitri doing here?


    My mouth is dry, my throat clenched tight with fear. What are they going to start? Why am I here? Where is Micah?


    ¡°Just got the message from Roman. Now we can start,¡± the unfamiliar voice says.


    ¡°Need some help?¡±


    ¡°No. I got this. Maybe you should get out of here. Just in case Micah catches wind. You don¡¯t want him to find out about you.¡±


    Dimitriughs.


    I try to twist my head around, to get a clear picture of them as their voices get louder, they move closer, but I fail.


    ¡°Micah¡¯s not dangerous. Roman¡¯s gonna cut him loose, he¡¯ll have no power. I¡¯ll still carry the Ivanov name. Once my uncle gets rid of him, I¡¯m next in line. He¡¯ll be kissing my ass for protection from the rest of the family.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know that for sure. But¡­¡± He pauses. Their footsteps stop just behind me. ¡°Considering Roman sent Micah¡¯s little princess down to me, I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re probably right.¡±


    A hand touches my hair and I jerk against my bindings. My scream is muffled by the rag stuffed in my mouth; another is tied around my head.


    ¡°Shh, it¡¯s okay, sweetheart.¡± The dark voicees closer to me. The scent of stale cigar and liquor envelops me as he puts his lips against my ear. ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of you.¡±


    I yank harder on the cuffs and wiggle hard enough to make the table sway.


    ¡°Enough!¡± He ms his hands down on either side of me on the table.


    Dimitriughs. ¡°She¡¯s not as weak as you think, Viktor. Keep your eye on her.¡±


    Anger rises up in my chest. How can Dimitri betray Micah this way? They¡¯ve been friends, allies, since childhood. What could cause him to turn his back so readily on that?


    ¡°I have a meeting with Christian Kaczmarek. I¡¯ll leave you to your work.¡± Dimitri pats my cheek. ¡°You be a good girl now for Viktor. He¡¯s going to be gentle, so long as you behave. If you get stubborn, he¡¯ll have to punish you. And not the way you like.¡± His thick Russian ent gives the threat a more dangerous tint. My stomach rolls at what he could mean.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere, princess. I¡¯ll be back.¡± Viktor touches my shoulder. Hearing the endearment that¡¯s be somonce for Micah to useing out of that traitor¡¯s mouth heats my blood.


    ¡°You think it¡¯s a good idea, getting back into business with another Polish family? We have our own we can work with,¡± Viktor says as the two of them walk away. Their shoes tap against the cement as they go; it¡¯s the only sound in the room.


    ¡°After you¡¯re finished with Lena, there¡¯s a good chance her father will bring war down on us. Roman¡¯s preparing an alliance with the Kaczmareks to protect us.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure the old man knows what he¡¯s doing.¡±


    A door opens and shuts.


    For a moment, I think I¡¯m alone again. The tightness in my chest eases enough for my breathing toe easier. But then the footsteps start again, along with a high-pitched squealing sound. Wheels rolling over the smooth cement.


    Viktores into view, rolling a medical tray in front of him. With only a quick nce I see equipment. Simr to what my gynecologist uses during an exam, but there are more tools on his tray.


    My breath catches again. Tears burn my eyes, rolling down my cheeks.


    I yell through my gag. But it doesn¡¯t matter.


    There¡¯s no one here to hear me, even if I could get the sound to escape the cloth.


    ¡°Rx, Lena.¡± Merriment dances in his voice. I look down the length of my body and find him standing at my feet. He kicks a stool closer, then sits down, his head now level with me. ¡°I¡¯m only going to remove your imnt.¡±


    My imnt. He¡¯s removing my birth control.


    I wiggle hard against the binds, making the table rock, but he¡¯s quick to steady it.


    ¡°If you keep doing that, I will paralyze you for the procedure. You¡¯ll bepletely awake and aware, but you won¡¯t be able to move. Which works nicely for me. But if I have to go through all that, there will have be something in it for me. How does a nice fucking sound?¡±


    A whimper escapes from behind my gag. He¡¯s not threatening, he¡¯s promising. And from the bulge in his pants, I¡¯d say he¡¯s enjoying the prospect of being able to do just that.


    I lie still and wrap my fingers around the edge of the table. Gripping the side is all I can do, it¡¯s the widest range of motion I have.


    ¡°There. Better.¡± He sits back on the stool and turns a crank beneath me. My legs spread until I¡¯mpletely open to him. Hot tears roll down my temples, pooling in my hair, running into my ears. There¡¯s a dark water stain on the ceiling above me, just above the hanging light. I fixate on it, putting all my focus on it and try to count my breaths.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lena. No one is going to hurt you unless you make them.¡± Latex gloves snap against his wrist.


    I take a deep breath in, one, two, three. Then out again, slow and easy.


    ¡°Once we get this imnt out of you, you¡¯ll go into the breeding room. There we¡¯ll have a few different men mount you until you¡¯re pregnant. Once you¡¯re pregnant, we¡¯ll return you to Micah.¡±


    His fingers are on me and my body clenches. This can¡¯t be happening. It can¡¯t. I can¡¯t breathe. My chest is too heavy, there¡¯s too much weight on me.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see how much loyalty Micah shows you when he realizes you¡¯re carrying another man¡¯s baby. Divorce isn¡¯t an option, I¡¯m sure you know. And Roman won¡¯t allow Micah to abandon you, so, even though he¡¯ll be cut out of power, he¡¯ll still be at the mercy of his father. And you¡¯ll be at the mercy of your husband.¡±


    No matter where I try to focus my mind, put my attention, his words break through. Killing me would hurt Micah for a little while but making him raise someone else¡¯s child, making him look at me every day and know what was done to me will break him forever.


    With the way my legs are tied to the table, I can¡¯t even push my knees together. If I fight him, I have no doubt he¡¯ll do as he promises, but if I don¡¯t try to get away the next part will be even worse.


    Raped. Repeatedly. For how many days, by how many people?


    I try to suck in air, but the gag is stopping me. My mind swirls, my chest mps. I can¡¯t breathe. I can¡¯t think. My stomach rolls as though I¡¯m doing a nosedive on a roller coaster.


    ¡°Get the fuck away from her.¡±


    Micah.


    I hear Micah.


    I thrash my head from one side to another, trying to get the gag loose enough to let in air. I¡¯m going to pass out. I can¡¯t breathe.


    ¡°Micah.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Back away.¡±


    The stool hits the floor. Where¡¯s Viktor?


    ck edges into my vision.


    ¡°Your father-¡±


    A gunshot rings out, echoing in the small area. Loud ringing res in my ears. I start tugging on my bindings again. I need to breathe. I need the gag out.


    ¡°Lena!¡± Micah¡¯s face hovers directly over me. ¡°Breathe, baby, breathe.¡± He works the gag out of my mouth, letting it hang around my neck. I spit out the balled-up rag from inside, and take the deepest breath I¡¯ve ever taken.


    ¡°Breathe with me.¡± He captures my face with his hands. Men run into the room and down the corridors. They shoutmands at each other, but Micah¡¯s dark eyes have my full attention.


    He counts for me.


    ¡°In, Lena, breathe in. That¡¯s good. One. Two. Three. Good girl.¡± He wipes my cheeks. ¡°Now out, slow, no, slow down, Lena, slow breaths.¡± He counts down again for me and within a few tries I catch my breath and the swirling stops in my head.


    A sob breaks free finally.


    ¡°Let me get you untied.¡± He¡¯s quick unbuckling the belts from my wrists. ¡°Okay, okay, let me help you.¡± He wraps his arm around my back as I sit up. I¡¯m still in my blouse and skirt from earlier, but they¡¯ve removed my panties.


    Micah pushes the legs of the table back together and unbuckles the restraints. Before I can swing my legs around to the side, he has me up in his arms, carrying me against his chest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look,¡± he tells me when I try to see over his shoulder. Viktor lies on the floor; a puddle of blood slowly spreads out around him.


    I should have listened. My stomach twists again, so I close my eyes. I¡¯m not cut out for so much blood.


    ¡°Micah.¡± Niko rushes up to us as Micah takes me to the main entrance. ¡°What do you want done with the other men?¡±


    ¡°They belong to my father. They brought my wife here, Niko. What do you think is to be done with them?¡± Micah¡¯s voice is so cold, so distant, a shiver runs through me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see it done.¡±


    ¡°Every woman down here is to be brought to the Staszek house,¡± Micah orders.


    ¡°Micah,¡± I say, my throat raw.


    ¡°Shh, Lena, rest.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I push off his chest and wiggle my way out of his arms. He puts me on my feet and res down at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking you home, Lena. Niko and my men will see that the girls here are taken care of.¡± He thinks I¡¯m going to argue about the girls.


    ¡°Dimitri.¡±


    He raises his brow. ¡°What about him?¡±


    ¡°He took me.¡±


    His frown deepens. ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not here. He went to meet with Christian Kaczmarek.¡± I swallow against the dryness of my throat. My head pounds, and although my breathing ising easier, my chest aches.


    Micah exchanges a look with Niko. ¡°He¡¯s been dealt with, Lena,¡± he says to me, cupping my shoulders beneath his warm hands. ¡°He¡¯s been feeding my father information about you and about me for weeks.¡±


    I blink back a new round of tears.


    ¡°They were going to-¡± My voice cracks beneath the weight of what could have happened if Micah hadn¡¯t arrived.


    ¡°They won¡¯t ever touch you again. I¡¯ll exin everythingter. Right now, I¡¯m taking you home.¡± He runs the back of his knuckles across my cheek, wiping away a rolling tear. ¡°I¡¯ll carry you if you can¡¯t walk. The drug they gave you makes you woozy,¡± he reminds me. It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve had this drug.


    ¡°I can walk,¡± I say quietly watching Nikko head down the corridors to where the girls are being kept. ¡°But I think I¡¯d like it if you carried me.¡±


    A soft smile breaks out on his lips, and he swoops me into his arms again. I wrap my arms around his neck and snuggle into his chest beneath his chin. Inhaling the spiced scent of his aftershave warms me; it sends a signal to my body that I¡¯m safe. I¡¯m all right.


    Micah will keep me safe.

 68

    Micah


    Lena¡¯s asleep on the couch. I tried to get her to lie down in bed, but she insisted she wanted to rest in here. I¡¯m getting soft. I should have put her to bed anyway.


    I could have lost her today. The reality of that hits me harder than any bullet could. They weren¡¯t nning to kill her. If they had seeded in the torment they had nned, I could have lost the Lena I know.


    The Lena I love.


    My heart aches and soars with the notion of loving this woman. Loving her brings danger; she can be used against me-again.


    I move from the armchair to the coffee table, sitting close enough to her that I can brush the messy locks of hair from her face. Her cheeks are still puffy from crying; even after she showered, I can see the tracks of her tears.


    They didn¡¯t hurt her. I try to console my anger with that fact, but it¡¯s bullshit. Her scars aren¡¯t physical. They¡¯re inside, buried, and they¡¯re all my fault.


    ¡°Micah, they¡¯re here,¡± Niko informs me a mere second before the room is invaded by the Staszek family. Joseph settles a hateful re on me as he walks to his sleeping daughter.


    I get up from the coffee table and ward them all off.


    ¡°No. Let her sleep.¡± I stop Kasia and Jakub before they can reach her while Dominik and Joseph keep to the doorway.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go in the kitchen.¡± I usher them out of the living room and down the hall.


    ¡°Let me sit with her. If she wakes up, it¡¯s better if she¡¯s not alone.¡± Kasia stops just outside the kitchen.


    I nod in agreement. Thest thing I want is Lena to be frightened in her own home.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I say and Kasia hurries back to the living room.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Joseph demands as soon as we¡¯re alone.


    ¡°My cousin betrayed me. He helped my father take Lena.¡± I lean a hip against the kitchen ind.


    ¡°I know that,¡± Dominik snaps. ¡°But is she okay? Has a doctor looked her over?¡±


    I level my stare on his. ¡°Yes. To both questions. I got there before they could do anything to her.¡±


    Dominik¡¯s re softens a fraction. From what I¡¯ve heard of his rtionship with his wife, he can rte to tonight¡¯s events.


    ¡°I never should have agreed to this marriage,¡± Joseph steams. ¡°I was stupid. Selfish.¡± Pain wrinkles his features. He gave his only daughter to my family. My father had already kidnapped her once; Joseph knew the dangers. But he wanted peace, and he¡¯d given her in exchange for it.


    ¡°She¡¯s safe,¡± Jakub speaks up. ¡°She¡¯s safe with Micah. He found her before anything bad happened. He won¡¯t let his family hurt her.¡±


    Joseph frowns. ¡°We don¡¯t know that. Roman will go after him now; that makes her a target.¡±


    ¡°Roman is being taken care of,¡± I assure him. Nausea rolls into my belly because it¡¯s the truth. ¡°He won¡¯t be an issue by morning.¡±


    Joseph perks up. ¡°What does that mean exactly?¡±


    I push off the countertop. I¡¯m breaking a code by informing them, but they are Lena¡¯s family and deserve to know the truth.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°My father got in over his head with the stable. His partners back in Russia demanded more than he could give, but he continued making promises. He continued taking payments for girls he didn¡¯t have to sell.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why he pushed for expansion.¡± Niko steps into the kitchen. ¡°Lena¡¯s awake. Kasia¡¯s sitting with her.¡±


    ¡°So, what are you doing now?¡± Dominik asks.


    ¡°His partners are tired of waiting, and Roman doesn¡¯t have the inventory he promised.¡± I shrug. ¡°Like I said, by morning Roman won¡¯t be an issue.¡±


    There should be a sense of dread, of worry or anger at the prospect of what torture they will put my father through before they end his miserable existence. Instead, relief floods me. He can¡¯t hurt Lena, and I don¡¯t have to walk behind him cleaning up his messes anymore.


    ¡°He¡¯s tarnished my family¡¯s name in this city and back in Russia. The stable is closed for good,¡± I announce, keeping my attention on Dominik. ¡°That should make your wife happy.¡±


    ¡°And yours,¡± Dominik responds.


    I smile. ¡°Yes, Lena will be as well. The peace between our families stands firm. The territory lines will revert back to where they were before my father¡¯s fight with your family. Everything goes backward.¡±


    Stress elevates across Joseph¡¯s features.


    ¡°Lena remains my wife.¡± I point a finger at him. ¡°I¡¯m not giving her up.¡±


    Dominik huffs augh. ¡°No one suggested otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Does she know all this?¡± Jakub asks.


    I shake my head. ¡°No. I¡¯ve been working on things the past few weeks, but until I knew for certain I didn¡¯t want her to worry. I did not know Dimitri was working with my father. But I should have suspected.¡±


    Dimitri¡¯s betrayal blindsided me. Though looking backward, I see the red gs. I had believed we were on the same side, that my father and I were on the same side. Both were working against me, and I missed it.


    ¡°What of Roman¡¯s men? Those that are loyal to him?¡± Joseph asks, his voice lowered.


    ¡°There will be a clean house in the Ivanov family by morning.¡± I won¡¯t say another word on the matter. It a cleansing that¡¯s necessary but not one I enjoy. Good men will be put on the outside of their lives, while sour souls will be ended.


    ¡°So, this is where the meeting is.¡± Lena walks into the kitchen with a wobbly smile. She¡¯s pulled her hair into a loose ponytail on top of her head. The sweatshirt and yoga pants she¡¯s wearing makes her look morefortable than I¡¯m sure she is.


    ¡°You should be lying down,¡± I say, walking to her. She waves me away.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Micah. I¡¯m mostly just a little tired from the sedative they gave me.¡± She brushes past me. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty though.¡±


    ¡°Get her some water,¡± Joseph demands and goes to his daughter. ¡°Are you hurt? Does your head hurt? What hurts?¡±


    It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen him gush over her. The night of the arrangement, he barely gave her a nce. He¡¯s been distant since the wedding, too. But this looks natural, sincere. I wonder how many nights he¡¯sid awake worrying about his little girl, but pride and code made him stay away.


    Lena puts on a brave smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Dad. Truly. I¡¯m okay. Nothing hurts,¡± she says, but her eyes are slightly narrowed. The lighting in here pains her, but she¡¯s not going to let on. She¡¯ll brave it out.


    ¡°Niko, there¡¯s ibuprofen in the bathroom of my office. Get three.¡± I send him while she¡¯s still convincing her family she¡¯s not hurt.


    ¡°The girls.¡± Lena turns to Kasia as memory invades her. ¡°From the stable.¡±


    Kasia nods. ¡°There were twenty-five and they¡¯ve all be brought to the Staszek house. Dr. Sanja is taking good care of them. They¡¯re safe, Lena.¡±


    Lena¡¯s shoulders drop with relief.


    Niko returns with the pills and gives them to Lena. She tries to deny them at first, but she catches my re and concedes.


    ¡°Well.¡± Joseph straightens his back. ¡°You need rest, and we¡¯re keeping you up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay so I can-¡± Kasia starts.


    ¡°No, Kasia.¡± Dominik grabs her hand. ¡°You¡¯lle home. Micah has this under control, and if Lena needs us, she¡¯ll call.¡±


    ¡°I will. I¡¯ll call,¡± Lena promises as she downs thest pill.


    I step out of the way as her family files past, giving her a kiss or a hug before disappearing down the hall with Niko. We¡¯re left alone starting at each other. She averts her gaze from mine.


    ¡°You¡¯re hurting,¡± I use softly.


    ¡°My head,¡± she says and sinks into one of the ind stools. ¡°I¡¯ll be okay. It¡¯s just from the drug, like I said.¡±


    She¡¯s right, but that doesn¡¯t cool my anger.


    ¡°I should have known it was Dimitri.¡± I slide closer to her. ¡°He¡¯s been asking more questionstely than usual. Volunteering to watch out for you. I thought he was just gettingzy and liked lounging around while you worked.¡±


    She lifts her eyes to mine. ¡°I didn¡¯t think anything of it when he told me I needed to go with him. He said you wanted me, but when I tried to call you, he took my phone. The next thing I knew I was waking up on that table.¡± Tears shimmer in her eyes.


    Instinct has me reaching out to her, touching her cheek. ¡°I have no right to ask for your forgiveness. I put you in danger. I didn¡¯t protect you.¡±


    She furrows her brow. ¡°This wasn¡¯t your fault, Micah. This was evil men doing evil things.¡± She flicks away a tear with her fingers and leans forward into me.


    I wrap my arms around her, holding her tight to me.


    ¡°When I was lying there and Viktor told me what he was going to do, I was so scared.¡± She looks up at me. ¡°Not of the pain, but of losing you. How could you evere to love me if they had seeded?¡±


    I cradle her face in my hands. ¡°Listen to me, Lena.¡± I lean into her. ¡°I love you now and I will love you forever. It¡¯s not a matter of if or when. Do you understand me?¡± Another tear falls and I catch it with my thumb, wiping it away.


    ¡°And if he had seeded?¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have changed anything. I would still love you.¡± I kiss her soundly, pressing against her hard. I don¡¯t want her to ever think she isn¡¯t my entire world, because she is. There is no sunrise without her, no heartbeat that matters without her next to me. She needs to know that, she needs to feel it in her bones the same way I do.


    ¡°I love you, Micah,¡± she whispers when I break the kiss.


    ¡°I know, Lena.¡± I grin. ¡°You¡¯re not as good at hiding your feelings as you think you are.¡±


    Her eyebrows raise and she smiles. ¡°I¡¯m too tired to argue with you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll have to keep that in mind for the future.¡±


    She shakes her head with augh. ¡°You¡¯re impossible.¡±


    ¡°I try.¡± I hug her to me again, kissing the top of her head and enjoy the feeling of her against me.


    ¡°The men at the stable?¡± she asks after moments tick by.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡±


    Lena pulls back and stares up at me. ¡°No more keeping me in the dark, Micah. I don¡¯t need to know your business, but tell me what happened to those men, with your father.¡±


    I sigh. She¡¯s right. No more trying to protect her by keeping her at arm¡¯s length.


    ¡°The men at the stable have been dealt with and my father as well. He won¡¯t be an issue anymore.¡±


    She takes a deep breath. ¡°He¡¯s dead?¡±


    ¡°If not already, he will be by morning,¡± I assure her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡± I can¡¯t imagine what she could possibly be apologizing for.


    ¡°He¡¯s your father,¡± she says simply.


    ¡°No, Lena. He¡¯s just a man and he¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°That means you¡¯re the head of your family now.¡±


    I nod. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s going to be a very busy time for a while.¡±


    ¡°The restaurants?¡±


    ¡°Everything. I need to get my family in order.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help, whatever you need, I¡¯ll help,¡± she offers. When I can¡¯t imagine loving this woman any more, she pushes past the limit.


    ¡°You¡¯ll go to school. You¡¯ll follow your passions, and we¡¯ll work everything else out around it.¡±


    ¡°Together.¡±


    I can¡¯t fight the smile pulling on my lips. ¡°Yes, together.¡±


    ¡°Since your father¡¯s not in charge, you could give me back. You could let me go.¡± She¡¯s teasing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, princess.¡± Since she¡¯s well enough for joking, I yank her off the stool and up into my arms.


    I carry her from the kitchen and head to our bedroom. Niko stands at the ready near the elevators. There¡¯s going to be a lot of changesing in the next few days and until things settle, we¡¯ll be having men stationed in the house. I won¡¯t have Lena put in danger again.


    As we pass through the sitting room of our suite, she hugs me.


    ¡°So you won¡¯t let me go?¡±


    I drop her onto the bed and peel off my shirt.


    ¡°No, princess.¡± I climb into bed, draping my body over hers and capturing her mouth in a deep kiss.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be keeping you, Lena.¡±


    She kisses me right back. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it possible, but I know it now.¡± She runs her fingertips over the scar on my jaw. ¡°The best thing that¡¯s ever happened to me, Micah, is being kept by you.¡±

 69

    Micah


    The overwhelming stench of rotting flesh greets me as I jog my way down the cer steps. It¡¯s dark except for a single bulb swaying from the ceiling. The door I need is on the other side of the empty room.


    Boxes and pallets have been discarded. Old stains of blood mark the concrete flooring. Neither of these things ount for the stink of piss mingling in the air as I get closer to the door.


    It¡¯s still early, the sun hasn¡¯t even kissed the sky yet, but I¡¯m wide awake. I haven¡¯t slept. How could I with this monster still on the loose. Until I know it¡¯s done, that Lena ispletely safe, and my future ispletely within my grasp, I won¡¯t be able to rx.


    I rap my knuckles on the door twice, and it opens immediately. Another dark room, but there¡¯s more light in here.


    ¡°Micah. I¡¯m surprised you came.¡± Milo Romanov, the head of the Romanov family, greets me with a handshake.


    ¡°It¡¯s my responsibility,¡± I tell him as the door closes behind me. Two men stand guard, their arms folded over their chests.


    ¡°You¡¯re not here to put up a fight then?¡± Milo asks in a low tenor. He¡¯s fifteen years older than me, but the extra years have aged him twofold. Being in charge of his family has probably done him in.


    Will I look so ragged and worn down in a few years?


    ¡°I¡¯m here to take care of my business,¡± I say. ¡°Nothing¡¯s changed since we spokest night.¡±


    He runs his tongue over the top row of his teeth. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this,¡± he leans in and whispers.


    When he moves, I get my first glimpse of the man hunched over in a chair. His hair is wild around his hanging head. Blood drips from his mouth onto his equally bloody legs. They¡¯ve beaten him.


    ¡°Is he still breathing?¡±


    Milo nces over his shoulder. ¡°Yes.¡±


    I pull out my gun. ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°Before you do this.¡± Milo puts a heavy hand on my arm. ¡°We shoulde to an understanding.¡±


    I raise my eyes to his, tensing my jaw as I take in his authoritative re. Gently I pull away from his touch.


    ¡°The only understanding we need, Milo, is you have your family and I have mine. Our businesses don¡¯t depend on each other, and they never will.¡±


    His eyes narrow. After a long pause he gives a small nod. ¡°I have no problem with that. I have other suppliers. The Ivanov family is out of the trade as far as the Romanovs are concerned.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    He steps back from me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡±


    As I approach the huddled, pathetic mess of a man, he lifts his head.


    ¡°Micah.¡± He manages my name with a rough whisper. His good eye moves to the gun in my hand and his swollen lips spread into something like a smile. There¡¯s so much bruising and blood, it¡¯s not easy to look at him.


    ¡°You tried to hurt my wife.¡± It¡¯s the only statement I can think. Remembering her tied down to that medical table, seeing the tears streaking her face, and hearing her gasp for breath while trying to fight off her anxiety has my blood heated again.


    He turns his attention to Milo and his guards behind me. ¡°You aren¡¯t here to save me.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let them kill you,¡± I say, because it¡¯s my job. I won¡¯t allow the Romanovs to take his life. Bound by my family¡¯s code, I¡¯d have to retaliate. The Ivanovs take care of their own.


    I raise my gun, pointing it directly at my father¡¯s head. My hand is steady, my finger finds the trigger.


    Like a rabid animal, my father needs putting down. He¡¯s a menace. A danger to my wife.


    He looks away from me, bowing his head before me.


    Lena will be safe.


    I pull the trigger.


    Epilogue


    Lena


    Six monthster


    ¡°Micah, can¡¯t you yell at Nikoter?¡± I ce my hand on his thigh as Luka, our driver for the day, parks the SUV in front of Dominik¡¯s house.


    Micah rattles off what I assume is a few more insults in Russian into his cellphone then hangs up.


    ¡°You¡¯re being grumpy,¡± I chide him with a smile. He¡¯s been stressed. Handling the Ivanov businesses while trying to expand the legitimate side wears on him. ¡°Trust Niko.¡± I slide across the seat and climb out of the car. ¡°He doesn¡¯t need his hand held at every turn.¡±


    Micah grabs my hand and squeezes. ¡°And since when do you lecture me on behavior?¡±


    My cheeks heat at the implication. There¡¯s still tenderness in my ass from this morning.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re taking your stress out on Niko.¡±


    He sighs as we reach the front door. ¡°Once this restaurant opens, it will be easier.¡±


    ¡°Things will never be easy, Micah. You¡¯re running two empires at the same time.¡± I ring the bell.


    ¡°It will work out.¡± He squeezes my hand again, a signal to drop the conversation as the door opens.


    Kasia greets us with a wide smile and big hugs before leading us to the back of the house where the rest of my family is already hanging around the kitchen.


    ¡°Micah. Lena.¡± My father smiles as he stuffs a cookie into his mouth. These family gatherings have be more difficult to schedule.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Jakub?¡± I ask, noticing my brother is missing.


    Dominik waves at the back door. ¡°On the porch. Something at the club needed his attention.¡±


    ¡°Jakub is good with the management of the club.¡± I hint, nudging Micah with my elbow. He raises an eyebrow at me, then goes over to the fridge to get himself something to drink.


    ¡°Lena. Do you think you can spend some time at the Staszek house this week? One of my volunteers had to cancel,¡± Kasia asks while fixing a sd.


    ¡°Sure. I have a pretty easy week.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±


    Jakub ms the porch door when he returns.


    ¡°Hey. Watch the door,¡± Dominik barks at him.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Jakub mutters.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong at the club?¡± I ask, settling into one of the ind stools.


    ¡°The new night manager I hired-¡± He cuts himself off and takes a deep breath. ¡°Nothing. Just personnel issues.¡±


    Dominik rolls his eyes. ¡°He hired the first woman he interviewed and then wonders why she can¡¯t manage her way out of a room with one door.¡±


    ¡°Is she pretty?¡± I ask with augh.


    Jakub shes me a re.


    Iugh harder. ¡°She is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to hire someone else.¡±


    ¡°Just make sure you get someone you can trust.¡± My father wags his finger at him. ¡°And no one with drama. You need someone who keeps their nose on their own papers.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get someone,¡± Jakub assures us then grabs a beer from the fridge. ¡°When is dinner?¡±


    Kasia looks at the oven. ¡°An hour?¡±


    Micah hands me a ss of wine.


    ¡°Micah. Your father¡¯s house is still for sale?¡± My father brings up the one subject that will put Micah in a sour mood. After we buried Roman, Micah put the estate up for sale, not wanting to step foot on the property again.


    ¡°Did you want to buy it?¡± Micah asks, thankfully keeping his tone somewhat light.


    Dadughs. ¡°No, of course not.¡±


    Jakub¡¯s phone goes off again. ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake. I¡¯m getting a new manager tomorrow.¡± He takes the call and stomps off into the living room to deal with the new drama.


    Dominik hugs Kasia and whispers something into her ear that makes her blush.


    ¡°Lena.¡± Micah nudges me. ¡°You aren¡¯t jealous of that, are you?¡± he whispers into my ear and points toward my brother. ¡°Because if you want me to make you blush up to your ears, just let me know. I think I can manage pretty well.¡±


    Just the prospect of what he might say has my face heated.


    He chuckles. ¡°Damn, I¡¯m good.¡±


    I roll my eyes and take a sip of my wine. He is good. Damn good, but there will be no living with him if I let him get too big of an ego.


    ¡°You¡¯re impossible.¡± I try to push him away, but he¡¯s being yful.


    ¡°I am, I agree.¡± He kisses my temple. ¡°And you wouldn¡¯t have me any other way.¡±


    He¡¯s right.


    I hide my smile behind my winess.


    ¡°I need a drink,¡± my father mutters and stalks out of the room. He¡¯s probably searching out Dominik¡¯s private stash.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he likes seeing me touch you,¡± Micah jokes.


    ¡°He¡¯s not the only one,¡± Dominik says from the other side of the kitchen ind.


    ¡°Well, if it upsets you, big brother¡­¡± I turn in my stool and grab Micah¡¯s shirt, pulling him down toward me as I reach up and kiss him.


    ¡°Such a damn brat,¡± Dominik remarks.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Micah smiles down at me. ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way,¡± he whispers.


    The End of book 2 continue reading for book 3. Do read my other works as well. Search for Roxy and you¡¯ll get all my works. I love you all. Thank you so much for supporting me.

 70

    Nicole


    ¡°See, I told you it wouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± Staciughs while tugging me past the bouncer. I can admit I¡¯m in awe of how easily she worked the guy and got us in without having to sh our fake IDs. Not an easy feat for the Musicbox. I¡¯m not sure I want to know how she managed it.


    ¡°Yeah, you did,¡± I credit her and move along with the crowd into the noise and bustle of the nightclub. Our friends are already inside somewhere, so we go in search.


    ¡°There,¡± she yells over the heavy beat of the music and grabs hold of my jacket, tugging me with her. We wiggle our way through the dancing bodies until we finally reach the table at the far end of the club.


    This ce isrger than life. Being a freshman at the University of Illinois, I haven¡¯t seen the inside of many clubs, but this is more than I could have expected. Bright colored lights roam over the crowd from the DJ stand at the forefront of the dance floor. They move with the beat of the music. It¡¯s as though the music and the dancers have given the room its own heartbeat.


    I¡¯mpletely lost in it when Staci grabs my arm and pulls me close enough to yell in my ear.


    ¡°Good, right? I told you!¡± sheughs. Staci¡¯s a sophomore, studying to be an elementary school teacher. Not exactly the type I would think has the ins and outs of club life, but I suppose everyone has a dark side to them. I¡¯ve scraped her off the bathroom floor more times than I can count this semester.


    ¡°Let¡¯s dance!¡± Carolyn, another of our friends, jerks her head toward the dance floor. ¡°I reserved the table, no one¡¯s gonna take it.¡± She motions to the little card in the center of the high table. Reserved.


    Carolyn¡¯s daddy has money. Serious money. Of course she could afford to reserve a table in one of Chicago¡¯s most popr dance clubs. We leave the table behind and make our way to the dance floor.


    It¡¯s not long before Carolyn has two guys swarming around her. Staci and Devin are grinding over their own partners as well, leaving me to find my own groove thing.


    ¡°You wanna dance, sweet thing?¡± someone yells into my ear, sting my eardrum from the close proximity. I cover my ear and pull back to find my assant.


    He¡¯s my height, straggly, with a full beard and a nose piercing. But it¡¯s the distinct body odor repelling me. I¡¯m not sure this guy knows how to use deodorant or a shower.


    ¡°No, thanks.¡± I shake my head.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, sweetheart.¡± He grabs my hips and pulls me toward him, already starting to match my movements.


    ¡°I said no.¡± I try to move back, but he yanks me forward again. When he leans his face into me, I strike. One quick thrust of my hand upward, the heel of my hand catches his chin and chucks him backward. He¡¯s stunned enough to let me go and stumbles back, hitting another couple dancing. The girl squeals and her partner grabs dirt-boy and shoves him further into the crowd with a warning to back off.


    He ends up falling to his ass on the floor. I watch him until he scrambles back to his feet and with a hateful re at me, disappears into the crowd.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Staci grabs my shoulder.


    ¡°Yeah. Just need a drink,¡± I call to her. She shakes her head and points to her ear. I gesture toward the bar. ¡°Drink!¡±


    She nods and gives me a thumbs up before sinking back into the arms of the dark stranger she¡¯s dancing with.


    The bar is as packed as the dance floor, but I manage to finagle my way forward pretty fast. My five-foot-three staturees in handy in these circumstances. Ducking beneath arms and through crowds is much easier to do at this height.


    ¡°Cranberry and vodka!¡± I yell over the bar when I finally get the bartender¡¯s attention.


    His eyes narrow on me. ¡°ID.¡± He cups his hand.


    With a nod, I pull out my newly acquired identification and hand it over, forcing an air of confidence. I¡¯ve used it twice and so far, not even a raised eyebrow, but this isn¡¯t the corner store.


    While he studies it, I take the time to look him over. He¡¯s clean shaven with a square jawline. My eyes roam over his thick neck to his broad shoulders. He¡¯s wearing a ck button-down with the club name embroidered on his left pec. No name tag. He¡¯s not wearing the polo shirts like the other bartenders.


    His blue eyes meet mine for a brief moment before he lowers my ID to a light on the other side of the bar. It bounces up enough to illuminate his face, and the casual stare tenses. He looks back up at me with a tic in his jaw.


    ¡°No.¡± He hands it across the bar to me.


    ¡°What do you mean, no?¡± I don¡¯t take the ID. ¡°It¡¯s legit,¡± I say.


    Heughs but there¡¯s no joy in it. ¡°Nothing about this is legit.¡± He tosses it on the bar top. ¡°How did you even get in here?¡± His gaze flickers to the side as he asks. Is he looking for security?


    ¡°Whatever.¡± I roll my eyes and swipe the ID, but before I can get lost in the crowd again arge hand snags my arm. I¡¯m pulled back to the bar.


    ¡°No, no.¡± He lets me go but his hard stare keeps me nted. ¡°Come with me.¡± He crooks his finger then points to the end of the bar.


    ¡°Something wrong, boss?¡± One of the bartenders pops up finally and looks between us.


    ¡°Nothing I can¡¯t handle.¡± He casts another hard nce toward me. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving.¡± I raise my voice, but with the heavy bass of the music, he probably can¡¯t even tell.


    He shakes his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t say you were.¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

 71

    We¡¯re already at the end of the bar, so it only takes him a moment to get from behind the counter to where I am standing. I should have taken those precious seconds to dive into the crowd, but something tells me he¡¯d only send security after me. Staci, Devin, and Carolyn are still out there, and I don¡¯t need to drag them into this.


    ¡°Come with me.¡± He grabs hold of my arm again and lightly pulls me with him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to drag me, I¡¯ll go.¡± I yank free of his grip and turn toward the exit. I¡¯ll text the girls once I¡¯m outside and let them know I¡¯m going home. A night of dancing with sweat-filled strangers wasn¡¯t really what I wanted tonight anyway. Staci talked me into it, as she always does.


    ¡°No. This way.¡± Instead of grabbing my arm, he links his fingers through mine. It¡¯s an entirely different sensation when a man holds your hand than an inexperienced boy. A warm electric current rushes up my arm and through the rest of my body. It throws me enough off bnce that I don¡¯t argue with him as he walks me from the busy club floor, down a hallway, and into an office marked Manager.


    Shit. Of course he¡¯d see a fake ID for what it is. His ass is on the line if it gets out he¡¯s serving underage kids. Chicago, for all its corruption andwlessness, takes somews seriously. And having the college campus close by puts the club under more scrutiny to be sure they¡¯re following the drinkingws. Losing their liquor license would throw them out of business.


    I¡¯m propelled into arge business office with him right behind me. The door shuts and the music disappears in an instant.


    ¡°Noise-canceling walls and door,¡± he answers before I can even ask.


    He stands in front of the door, folding his arms over his chest. Now that we aren¡¯t in the dark of the club anymore, I can make him out better. There¡¯s a tattoo winding up his forearm and it disappears beneath the short sleeve of his shirt. He¡¯s no lineman, but he¡¯s all muscle. His jeans are tight enough to make out his strong physique. I take a few steps away from him to keep from having to tilt my head to look at his face.


    ¡°How old are you really?¡± he asks after a long moment of silence passes.


    I cross my arms over my own chest and put all my weight on my right foot. It¡¯s all a facade, me trying to cover up how hard my insides are shaking. I¡¯m alone in this office with this guy. My dad taught me how to fight, but I have to keep my focus if I¡¯m going to take this guy out.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Old enough.¡±


    He sighs. ¡°Old enough that I have to call your mommy and daddy?¡±


    It¡¯s my turn tough. ¡°I don¡¯t think calling my daddy is a good move.¡± For either of us, but I leave that part out.


    ¡°No? Why¡¯s that?¡± He tilts his head to the side. I¡¯ve piqued his curiosity.


    ¡°He¡¯s at work. Wouldn¡¯t like being disturbed.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s he do?¡± His chin juts out a bit, like a drug dog who¡¯s picked up a scent.


    ¡°Security.¡± I tell the truth, more or less. My father works for the Kaczmarek family; he¡¯s their muscle. The guy they call when they need someone knocked around a bit, or worse. Not exactly a job you put on your resume, and sure as hell not something his daughter should be divulging to anyone.


    ¡°Enough bullshitting, how old are you really and how did you get in?¡±


    I throw on a smile. ¡°I¡¯m neen, and I walked through the front door.¡± His irritation grows with my admission. This club is a twenty-one and over entry. His bouncer is gonna get an earful. ¡°Rx.¡± I drop my hands to my sides. ¡°You didn¡¯t serve me and there¡¯s no cops here. I¡¯ll just go. No harm, no foul. It¡¯s not like the owners are going to find out and get you in trouble.¡±


    His eyes narrow a fraction more and he moves to me, getting rid of all the space between us. ¡°I¡¯m one of the owners.¡±


    I blink.


    I was not expecting that answer.


    ¡°Well, then,¡± I force a wider smile, ¡°you can really rx. You can¡¯t exactly fire yourself, can you?¡±


    ¡°Your friends, how old are they?¡± He ignores my statement.


    ¡°I came alone.¡± I move my gaze away from him. His unrelenting stare makes it hard to focus on him. It¡¯s like he¡¯s inspecting every word I say. Avoiding his eyes should help me keep my secrets.


    ¡°Hmm, strike two. Maybe you should stop while you¡¯re ahead.¡±


    ¡°Two strikes? On the third will you let me leave?¡± I tease. I¡¯m not as skilled at flirting as Staci is, but I should be able to wiggle myself out of this.


    The right side of his mouth kicks up into a yful grin, and heughs softly. ¡°No, sweetheart. On the third strike, I bare your ass and turn it bright red.¡±


    My brain nks.


    This guy keeps saying things to throw me off my game.


    ¡°You¡¯ll spank me?¡± A blusterousugh bursts from my chest. It¡¯s the most absurd thing I¡¯ve heard in my life. Spank me. My father, who is no stranger to violence, has neverid a finger on me, but this prick thinks he¡¯s going to show me a thing or two? I don¡¯t think so.


    He rubs his hand along his jaw. ¡°Calling the cops doesn¡¯t work for me. Calling your daddy will probably be more trouble than it¡¯s worth, so yeah, you lie once more and you¡¯ll get an ass whooping before I put you in a cab and ban you from the club for life.¡±


    Iugh again, but it¡¯s more from nerves this time. He doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s kidding. My father¡¯s thrown empty threats at me since I was a kid; that¡¯s not what¡¯s happening here. This guy means it.


    ¡°Whatever. What do you want exactly? I already told you I¡¯d leave. So why don¡¯t you just let me go?¡±


    He slips his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. ¡°Are your friends legal age to be here?¡± he asks, his tone neutral. No more bullshitting.


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°And how many are there?¡±


    ¡°Two.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to help me and tell me where I can find them? What they look like?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± I fold my arms over my stomach. There is a limit to what I¡¯ll tell him. Getting Staci and Devin hauled out of the club isn¡¯t my style. If he wants to spend his night hunting down underage kids that¡¯s his business, but I¡¯m not helping.


    ¡°Fine.¡± He pulls a cell from his back pocket, types a few keys then puts the phone to his ear. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s me. Have someone go relieve Frankie up front, he¡¯s gone.¡±


    Frankie. That was the bouncer.


    I step toward him and his blue eyes lock on me, pinning me in ce.


    ¡°He can¡¯t tell a fake ID from a real one.¡±


    I shake my head. I don¡¯t want this guy losing his job because of me.


    He pulls the phone from his ear. ¡°You have something you want to say?¡±

 72

    I pinch my lips together. I can¡¯t rat out my friends.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see him; I mean he didn¡¯t see my ID.¡± I fumble my words. ¡°It¡¯s not his fault.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t check your ID?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°No. Not mine.¡±


    ¡°Send him home for the week. Every person gets ID¡¯d. I find one more fake ID in this ce, he¡¯s gone for good.¡± He hangs up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± I take a step toward the door, but he grabs my arm.


    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s your name? Your real name.¡±


    ¡°Nicole.¡± I¡¯m honest. What¡¯s a name going to give him? Nothing.


    ¡°You¡¯re a student at the college?¡±


    ¡°Freshman, yeah.¡±


    He lets my arm go. ¡°It¡¯s not safe for you to leave on your own. It¡¯ste.¡±


    It waste when we arrived, nearly eleven. It¡¯s probably close to midnight by now, and I still haven¡¯t had a drink.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a cab.¡± The apartment I share with Staci is only half a mile away, a quick walk, but if it will get me out of here, I¡¯ll pay the money for a damn cab.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have someone drive you.¡± He pulls his phone out again. ¡°I¡¯d take you myself, but I have to finish up here.¡±


    I smile again, feeling yful. ¡°I can always wait.¡±


    Heughs while tapping away on his phone. ¡°No way. My brother ising by soon, and if he sees you, I¡¯ll have my ass in a sling.¡±


    ¡°Ah, big brother is always watching, huh?¡±


    He shoves his phone back in his pocket again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need a ride,¡± I say.


    ¡°You do,¡± he says so in a firm tone.


    ¡°And if I say no?¡± I take a step toward him, suddenly wanting to feel the strength of his chest beneath my fingertips.


    His mouth breaks into a wide grin. ¡°Then maybe you¡¯ll get that spanking I promised.¡±


    A spark ignites inside of me, spreading heat through me. I¡¯m quiet as I stare at him, trying to decide if he¡¯s just ying with me or if he¡¯s serious. And I¡¯m not sure which I want at this moment.


    His phone buzzes. ¡°The car¡¯s ready.¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s going to take me home?¡±


    ¡°Where else would it take you?¡± he asks, but there¡¯s a hint of something more, something making my insides tingle.


    ¡°Maybe to yours?¡± I¡¯m ying with fire here, I think, but I can¡¯t seem to stop myself. There¡¯s something dangerous about this man, something that makes him more appetizing.


    ¡°Give me your phone.¡± He puts his hand out.


    I pull it out of my little bag for him.


    He taps away on it, then his phone buzzes.


    ¡°There. Now you have my contact and I have yours. Nicole.¡±


    I take my phone and put it away. Does that mean he¡¯s going to call me, or I should call him? I¡¯m not good at this flirting shit. I should pay more attention to Staci.


    ¡°All right.¡± I take my phone and put it away, not daring to look at it while he¡¯s still watching me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see youter, Nicole,¡± he says and opens the door for me. A security guard stands there waiting for me.


    I give him a quick nce over my shoulder as I pass him. ¡°Yeah. Sure.¡±


    I walk down the hall and through the front entrance of the club and outside to the town car waiting for me. The security guard opens the door for me and prompts me to give the driver my address.


    Once the car pulls away from the club, I get my phone to text Staci and the girls about what happened. That¡¯s when I see it.


    Jakub Staszek


    My heart drops three feet.


    Maybe he won¡¯t call. This was a weird night. A strange moment passing between two strange people. I¡¯m an awkward flirt. He¡¯ll forget about me within minutes.


    A text notification beeps.


    Your friends were looking for you. Both underage.


    I¡¯ll be over in an hour so we can discuss your dishonesty.


    Seeing him again would be a really bad idea.


    Horrible even.


    Then maybe you¡¯ll get that spanking I promised.


    My belly tightens at the memory of his voice as he said those words.


    One time wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone.


    Just once.


    An hour after I make it home, the knocking on my front door begins.


    As a second round starts, I slide the heavy bolt to the left and open the door. Jakub Staszek stands in my hallway, still wearing the same ck shirt with the Musicbox logo embossed on the front. His jaw is set firm, and his eyes pin me to where I stand.


    ¡°You¡¯re here,¡± I say softly. I hadn¡¯t actuallypletely expected him toe over. Part of me hoped he¡¯d been joking; the other part had downed an energy drink just in case.


    ¡°I said I¡¯d be over.¡± He steps forward, gently nudging me into my apartment. He closes the door quietly and slides the bolt back in ce.


    ¡°Look. I¡¯m sorry about the club.¡± I fold my hands in front of me. All the bravery I¡¯d put forth at the club is gone now. Either from exhaustion or from the reality there is no one here to save me if things get out of hand.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± He walks the periphery of my living room, stopping to look at a photograph here and there. ¡°You¡¯re sorry you snuck in my club or you¡¯re sorry you left so soon?¡±


    I swallow. ¡°I got a text from my friends.¡±


    He raises a dark eyebrow. ¡°Your two neen-year-old friends?¡±


    I try to smile, but there¡¯s a darkness in his stare that stifles it. ¡°Yeah. Those two. Thanks for not giving them trouble. Just letting them leave.¡±


    He keeps silent as he moves closer, stopping just shy of touching me. ¡°You lied to me, Nicole.¡±


    ¡°What was I supposed to do, help you track them down and kick them out? They¡¯re my friends. I wasn¡¯t going to do that to them.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± He moves to my couch, sitting down on the middle cushion and resting his hands on his knees. Sitting in my apartment he seems so muchrger than at his office. But in both ces he exudes confidence. He¡¯s in my apartment, but he looks as though he owns the ce.


    ¡°Your loyalty kept them out of trouble. I did have to make them leave, and I did take their IDs, though.¡± He runs his hands up and down his thighs, like he¡¯s warming them up.


    ¡°Oh.¡± I suppress a smile. ¡°Too bad for them, I guess.¡± Staci and Devin have several IDs. In case one ce did exactly as he did, they have backups. They¡¯ll be fine.


    ¡°But your lying has put you in trouble.¡± He pats his knee. ¡°And it¡¯s time you paid the consequence.¡±


    A nervous bubble rises up in my throat and Iugh. What other response should there be to such a crazy statement? ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I told you on strike three you¡¯d get a spanking. You lied.¡± He levels me with his hard re. ¡°That¡¯s strike three.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy if you think I¡¯m going to just go over there and let you spank me. That¡¯s insane. You¡¯re insane.¡± I haven¡¯t moved an inch though. I¡¯m not opening the door and yelling at him to leave. I¡¯m just standing here waiting to see what happens, waiting to see if this heat conjuring in my belly will stop.


    ¡°You were a bad girl tonight, Nicole. Come take your punishment.¡± He pats his knee again. ¡°If you don¡¯t, if I have to make you, I can¡¯t make you feel good. I¡¯ll have to leave you desperate and wanting.¡±


    Everything he says makes my insides melt.


    His eyebrows raise. ¡°Do I need to count?¡±


    No, counting would be bad.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I think.


    With a little shake of my head, I walk over to the couch. Once I¡¯m close enough, he reaches out and grabs my hand.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be so bad, Nicole. I promise.¡± He winks, then with one quick tug has me drawn over hisp.


    This is ridiculous and stupid, but I can¡¯t seem to stop the trajectory of the moment. Instead of fighting him off, I grab a pillow and bury my face into it.


    His hand rests over my ass. ¡°Did you stay in this dress because I wasing over?¡± he asks while his fingertips y with the hem of the skirt.


    My cheeks me.


    ¡°I think I know the answer,¡± he says with a small chuckle. The skirt of the dress is pushed up over my hips, baring my ass to his inspection. It¡¯s only now I realize I¡¯d chosen the pink thong for tonight.


    ¡°This is a bad idea,¡± I say and start to climb off hisp, but he¡¯s prepared for my change of mind. His arm mps down around my waist, pinning me to him.


    ¡°No. Lying to me was a bad idea,¡± he says and his hand smacks into my bare ass cheek. I freeze at impact. Another strikends, and the heat from it thaws my brain enough for me to try to wiggle free.


    ¡°Wait. Stop.¡± I try pushing off of him, but he¡¯s not ready to stop yet. He peppers my ass with swats.


    ¡°Not just yet,¡± he says as he continues toy down smacks evenly across both my cheeks. I clench my eyes, fist my hands, but it¡¯s mortification that haunts me more. Why did I allow this? What sort of idiot am I?


    Just when I¡¯m about to lose myposure he stops. ¡°See, that wasn¡¯t so bad. You did good.¡± His fingertips trail over the thin strip ofce covering my sex. At some point, my leg slipped off hisp.


    My panties are wet, I can sense it and I¡¯m sure he can see it.


    ¡°You did real good, Nicole,¡± he says again as his finger finds my clit. He shifts his leg to grant himself easier ess. ¡°And good girls are rewarded.¡± His words are heavy, seductive, and there isn¡¯t an inch of me that doesn¡¯t want his touch right now.


    The pad of his finger rubs my clit in circles, pushing hard then soft, then hard again. ¡°Such a wet pussy,¡± he says, slipping his finger beneath the thin strip of panties. ¡°I¡¯m going to make youe like this, Nicole. Lying over myp with a red ass.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± My words trail off as he finds my clit again and my mind wanders away.


    My thighs tighten, my stomach clenches. Everything coils tight ready to spring free.


    ¡°So responsive,¡± he says, but I get the feeling he¡¯s not talking to me. ¡°Come for me, Nicole. Be my good girl. Be good.¡± He rubs faster, harder, pinching my clit then repeating the action until my insides are wound so tight, I¡¯m either going to explode or rip in two.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good girl.¡± Heys his fingers t against my clit and rubs, faster and faster.


    ¡°Oh, oh, oh.¡± I curl my toes, throw my face back into the pillow. One more flick and I¡¯m gone. I cry into the pillow as my orgasm rips through me. I¡¯m tearing in half from the force of it, but I don¡¯t want it to end.


    Thest wave recedes, and I go ck over hisp. He gently pulls his hand from my panties, and carefully returns my skirt down around my ass. Taking his cue, I start to get up, but he pulls me back down into hisp and holds me.


    His erect cock presses against me through his cks, but he makes no move to pull it free.


    ¡°You need to get to bed. I need to get back to the club to meet with my brother.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± I look up at him for the first time since he put me over hisp.


    He smiles. ¡°Only until tomorrow.¡±


    But I had promised myself only once with Jakub Staszek. ¡°Okay.¡±

 73

    Jakub


    Five yearster


    The silence of the club wees me as I step inside. It¡¯s been a long weekend. Most working slobs hate Mondays, but they are my favorite day of the week. My main club, Katfish, is closed, which means I have little staff to deal with and fewer headaches.


    Not that I do all the work for the club. After a yearlong search, I¡¯ve finally found apetent general manger who doesn¡¯t need me every second of the damn day. But I still have responsibilities not only to Katfish but the other two clubs I oversee for my family.


    The Staszek family has these three clubs, legit businesses to shelter the not so legit work we do. My oldest brother, Dominik, and my father keep my hands clean for the most part, just in case, they tell me. Though I¡¯m not sure what they think will happen. If the house of cards falls, we¡¯re all going down with it.


    ¡°Jakub.¡± Dominik breezes through my office door looking as rested as any father of a newborn should be. There are dark circles beneath his eyes, but I have a feeling it has more to do with his hovering over his wife than having to actually deal with their baby daughter.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you.¡± I plop down in my leather chair and lean back. When we opened this club together almost two years ago, it was a joint venture. We bought it out from under a Ukrainian asshat who didn¡¯t know his ass from a hole in the ground. I was charged with fixing it up, rebranding it, and bringing it back to life. And I¡¯ve done it. Except for the fucking name. I never managed to change the name of the club. Dominik had bailed on the project, leaving it in my ¡®capable hands.¡¯


    But he pops his head in now and again to check up on things.


    ¡°I left a message I wasing over.¡± He sits across from me, steepling his hands.


    I drop my phone on the desk. ¡°I haven¡¯t checked it.¡± He looks like he could fall asleep right there in front of me. ¡°You look like shit. Who kept you up all night, Kasia or Dominika?¡±


    ¡°Dominika had a fever, and Kasia wouldn¡¯t leave her alone so we both stayed up all night.¡± He pinches the bridge of his nose. ¡°She¡¯s fine this morning. No fever and happy as a m.¡±


    ¡°So of course, you¡¯ve ordered the doctor to the house immediately?¡± I tease him. With our father getting older, Dominik has been taking more responsibility for the family. He was overprotective before he had a wife and child, now he¡¯s unbearable. Thankfully, it¡¯s mostly aimed at them nowadays.


    He raises his eyebrows. ¡°You¡¯ll understand one day when you finally stop all this fucking around and find a wife.¡±


    ¡°Find a wife?¡± Iugh. ¡°What is this, the old country? You have a family, Lena¡¯s married, leave me out of it.¡±


    He grunts. ¡°At least you¡¯ve stopped fucking the staff. That¡¯s a start.¡±


    It¡¯s my turn to raise a brow. Who I fuck is none of his damn business, but we¡¯ve been through this conversation more times than I can count, and I don¡¯t have the patience for it again. He¡¯s right though, I have stopped getting into bed with the staff. It was starting to make for awkward staff meetings. Besides, my newest manager-the best I¡¯ve had so far with this club-is happily married. And one line I don¡¯t cross is the marriage altar. I stay away from it, and anyone who¡¯s been near it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t haul your ass all the way from the suburbs toment on my sex life. What do you want?¡±


    His lips tten into a straight line. Whatever¡¯sing next, I¡¯m not going to like.


    ¡°We need to expand the club.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°What club, this club?¡± I stab my finger into my desk.


    ¡°Yes, this club,¡± he says.


    ¡°What for?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re taking over some construction lines,¡± he says simply, as though his exnation exins anything.


    The Staszek family business needs growth, and in order to protect the expansion from the prying eyes of thew I get to do the grunt work on the legal side.


    ¡°What sort of construction lines? Something I can work on with you?¡± I lean forward, already knowing his response.


    He shakes his head. ¡°No, no. I need you to stay on this side of things. You¡¯ve already doubledst year¡¯s revenue. It makes sense to expand the club and squeeze more out of it. It allows us to make nice with the unions while we profit off the constructions on the other side of town, shuffle some money through, and increase the profits here.¡±


    ¡°So, you want me to do what exactly? Put on another floor? Remodel?¡± Since we were children Dominik has given me tasks to keep me busy while he learned how to run the business. Watch over our sister, keep her out of trouble. Get a degree in hospitality management. Anything to keep me on this side of the family.


    ¡°We¡¯ll buy out next door. That restaurant does shit for business, and the second floor is just an unused apartment. We¡¯ll put the bid in, and you do whatever you want with it. Do your thing.¡± He gestures toward me. He has no idea what my thing is. How much work goes into building a club, marketing it to the right people, and keeping the ce full till closing time every night.


    ¡°And what about the Stereo Club and the Musicbox? I barely have time to get over there now as it is.¡±


    He lifts one shoulder. Minor details, none of which he cares about. Katfish is our biggest revenue maker at the moment on this side of the city.


    ¡°You have managers there reporting to you. Your manager here seems to be doing well; you haven¡¯t fired one in almost seven months.¡±


    ¡°Eight. Nora has been here eight months, and hopefully she won¡¯t be going anywhere.¡± The hunt for a good manager had been long and hard before I picked her up. Now that she¡¯s settled in so well and has this ce straightened out, I¡¯m not letting her go for anything.


    ¡°Okay then. You¡¯ll make it work. You always do.¡± He yawns.


    ¡°And what do I get with this expansion?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m going to be creating a new part to this club, bringing in union workers on the sly, and keeping the revenue here up, I think I should get a little something for my trouble.¡± I level him with a stare. ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Another ten percent ownership and then an extra five percent on the back end.¡±


    He nods. ¡°Done.¡±


    I should have gone for more, but I¡¯m not as greedy as some of my family thinks I am.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll talk with Nora today. Send me the information on the constructionpany you want used.¡±


    ¡°First I have a meeting with the owners for next door. I¡¯ll get the rest of the information for you once that¡¯s settled.¡± He gets up from his chair and stretches his chest.


    ¡°You want to crash for an hour before you head off?¡± I ask, motioning toward the spare room attached to my office. Some nights drag into the daylight. I like having a ce I can get a few winks or sleep off a few drinks.

 74

    Dominik shakes his head. ¡°No. I have to get across town. I¡¯m meeting with Micah this afternoon. I want to get this matter settled first.¡±


    ¡°Micah¡¯s in on the construction deal?¡± I keep my tone level, but my insides tremble with irritation. Micah Ivanov isn¡¯t a Staszek. He shouldn¡¯t have his damn hands anywhere near our business. I don¡¯t give a shit if he¡¯s married to our little sister.


    ¡°No. Lena¡¯s hosting a fundraiser at one of his restaurants next month for the Staszek house. I¡¯m just going over there to make sure he knows it¡¯s a Staszek event. I don¡¯t want the Ivanovs or their associates pushing us out of the event. He gives our sister what she wants, but she forgets underneath it all he is still an Ivanov.¡±


    Micah would never betray Lena. He¡¯s sacrificed for her, as much as she has for him. But Micah would still take an opportunity to nudge us out if given the chance.


    ¡°You better get going then. I have shit to do,¡± I push up to my feet and walk him to the door.


    ¡°Kasia will want you at the house this weekend for family dinner. Dad will be there, and I¡¯ll be sure Lena will be there as well. It¡¯s been a while since we all sat down for a meal.¡± He yanks open the door, trying to end on that note.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see. Probably.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    I¡¯m saved from his lecture by Nora popping in the doorway.


    ¡°Hey, Dominik.¡± She smiles brightly at him. Her pixie haircut makes her look innocent and sweet. But I¡¯ve seen the woman during club hours. She¡¯s anything but.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Dominik greets her. I doubt he remembers her name. No woman matters since he found Kasia. I can¡¯t imagine having so much energy put in one direction. When there are so many beautiful women in the world, why limit yourself?


    ¡°You look beat, you sleep okay?¡± She breezes past him and into the office, flittering about my desk with papers.


    ¡°Hard night with the baby,¡± I say on his behalf. She finds what she¡¯s looking for. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t go. I want to talk to you about some new ideas for the club.¡±


    Her gaze flickers from me to Dominik. She¡¯s not ignorant. She doesn¡¯t know specifics-I wouldn¡¯t endanger her that way-but she¡¯s not a fool.


    ¡°Okay, no problem.¡± She rxes her stance, waiting for me.


    ¡°Talk to youter,¡± Dominik says, then with a wide yawn heads out of my office.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the new idea?¡± Nora asks with as much enthusiasm as I feel for the project.


    ¡°Expansion,¡± I tell her and her eyes go wide.


    ¡°Expansion? Where? Jakub, I can barely keep up with this ce now as it is.¡± She waves a hand through the air. She works her ass off for me. It¡¯s a lot to ask for her to take on even more.


    ¡°We¡¯re looking into buying next door. Maybe we can make a second dance floor with VIP rooms upstairs. I¡¯m not sure yet.¡± I should have grabbed coffee on the way in, but it doesn¡¯t really matter. Right now I could use a stiff drink.


    She¡¯s quiet for a moment, then rolls her eyes with a heavy sigh. ¡°Fine. Okay. But I need more help.¡±


    ¡°What sort of help?¡±


    ¡°Well, right now, I need someone that can handle all the private bookings. We¡¯re going to be heading into wedding season soon and the bachelorette parties are going to start pounding down our doors.¡±


    She¡¯s asked for this before, but I didn¡¯t see the need. It¡¯s different now. Right now I need her on board with the expansion.


    ¡°Okay. Hire someone. And when we start working on the new project, we¡¯ll hire more staff for over there. Maybe we¡¯ll get a separate manager for that portion of the club.¡±


    The relief in her eyes secures I¡¯m getting what I want. ¡°Yes. That would be amazing.¡±


    ¡°Okay then. It¡¯s done.¡± I make my way around my desk. ¡°And I want you to take a weekend away from the city next weekend. You and your husband, put it on thepany card.¡± I wave her away and pull out my phone from under the papers she¡¯s put down. More reports to sign and send over to the ountant.


    ¡°Thanks. It might be the only way I can get Jeremy out of the house,¡± she smiles and heads to the door.


    I watch her as she walks away. When I firstid eyes on her, my mouth watered at her delectable curves. Now, eight monthster, I still see her beauty, but I¡¯ve tempered my desires with the business. But if I were her husband, I wouldn¡¯t need to be dragged anywhere with her. I shake my head after she closes the door.


    Marriage only mucks up everything. You go from wanting to sink your cock into your girl every single night to crawling into bed and barely kissing her good night.


    No, the single life is better. Find a woman, devour every bit of her, then cut loose before things get too serious. It¡¯s like having dessert for dinner every night the rest of my life.


    Dominik may want me to settle down like he did, but I¡¯m not him. He has a family to run, and he¡¯ll still need to have a son in order to be sure the Staszek family is turned over when the timees. I¡¯m the second son. Dominik gets the responsibility, and I get the fun.


    The marriage bug may have bitten him and my little sister, but I¡¯m more than prepared to keep it from getting its gnarly teeth anywhere near me.


    I¡¯m never going to marry.


    Ever.

 75

    Nicole


    Chicago hasn¡¯t changed in all the years I¡¯ve been gone. Garbage still litters the streets, and the smell of old grease mixed with gasoline still floats in the thick humid air.


    It¡¯s like I never left.


    Part of me wishes I hadn¡¯t. If I had stayed put while my father ran off to New York, things would be drastically different for me right now. I would have a degree in marketing instead of starting my shift working at a damn night club.


    It¡¯s no corner office in one of the sky-rises overlooking Lakeshore Drive, but it¡¯s a job. And one I¡¯m lucky to have. Paying the rent in the shoebox I call an apartment for next month was bing worrisome.


    The construction crew is already getting to work when I arrive at Katfish. Bobby, the foreman, waves to me with his toothy grin as I pass by toward the entrance.


    ¡°Morning, Nicole.¡±


    I give a faint smile. ¡°Hey, Bobby.¡±


    He¡¯s harmless, but huge. Beneath all his muscle and height, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a pure heart of gold. He¡¯s never once made a lewdment or gesture when I¡¯ve walked past his crew, and when a few of his men did, he popped them for being such assholes.


    ¡°It¡¯s gonna be hot as hell today,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure the kitchen sends out some waterter.¡±


    ¡°Thepany provides plenty, but thanks for the offer.¡±


    I nod. ¡°Well, see youter then.¡±


    He drops his smile with a nod and gets back to work.


    ¡°Good, you¡¯re here!¡± Nora, my boss, grabs hold of my arm the moment I step inside. I¡¯ve worked here only a month, but we¡¯ve be fast and furious friends.


    ¡°It¡¯s barely noon, what catastrophe could have happened already?¡± I ask with augh as we make our way toward my small office in the back of the club.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Nothing. Actually, it¡¯s good news,¡± she assures me. Nora stands in the doorway while I dump my bag in a chair and put my coffee on my desk.


    ¡°Okay, what is it?¡± I ask when she keeps silent.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been here a month now, and you¡¯ve done a great job with scheduling all the private parties.¡±


    I hear a very loud buting my way.


    ¡°Thanks¡­¡±


    ¡°But.¡± She takes a deep breath and a step into the office. ¡°I think you could be doing so much more for us than just working the calendar for the private rooms.¡±


    It¡¯s not the simple job she makes it out to be. Aside from putting the parties on the schedule and making sure none of the rooms ovep, and the VIP sections are reserved properly, I oversee the staff schedules to run with the parties. There¡¯s the catering aspect, the extra bartenders when needed, and any other little thing the VIP people of Chicago desire for their night at Katfish.


    ¡°Okay.¡± I nod. ¡°You want me to take on more responsibility? I can do that.¡±


    ¡°You said you went to school for marketing, right?¡±


    ¡°I never finished,¡± I remind her before she gets her hopes up.


    ¡°I know, but you were almost done.¡±


    I had one more year to go at NYC when everything crumbled around me. I thought I had it handled. Thought I could still navigate the mess and get through unscathed. I was wrong. In the end, I had to ditch everything and jump on a train taking me away from New York.


    Grabbing my coffee, I sink into my chair.


    ¡°With the new part of the club gearing up to open by the end of the summer, we¡¯ll need a lot of marketing done.¡±


    ¡°There are marketing firms for that sort of thing,¡± I point out. Launching an entire club expansion isn¡¯t just putting a few flyers up. They should have an entire campaign ready. ¡°You might want to hire a PR firm to do a fullunch if that¡¯s what you¡¯re looking to do.¡±


    Nora moves further in with a shake of her head. ¡°No, the owners don¡¯t want to do that.¡± She frowns. ¡°They don¡¯t want a huge campaign; they want theunch to be soft. Nothing too shy.¡±


    This sounds familiar.


    ¡°Nothing that catches too much attention from the wrong people?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Nora, just tell me what you need, what are you looking for?¡±


    She smiles brilliantly. ¡°Well, what I really need is to clone you, but we can¡¯t technically do that. Sooo, I need you to train Silvia on booking the private parties. You¡¯ll still handle the staffing and other stuff, but I need you to free up some time to work on some marketing. Nothing huge, like I said. A softunch. And once it¡¯s opened you can pull back.¡±


    ¡°Just light stuff after the opening.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± she grins.


    ¡°Okay, yeah, I can do that.¡± I¡¯m no micromanager and handing off talking to the nervous brides to be and Chicago elites who want to party without the press sounds damn good to me.


    ¡°Excellent. One of the owners will be in today, he¡¯s been doing some traveling and other business dealings the past few weeks. He wants to meet with you to go over what he wants.¡± She turns on her heel to leave but I call her back.


    ¡°Wait. I¡¯ve never met the owners, who are they? And what time am I meeting this guy?¡±


    ¡°Nora! I need you. The liquor distributor¡¯s here and he¡¯s trying to railroad me into more money.¡± The head bartender, Josh, pops up behind Nora and steals her attention.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be there.¡±


    ¡°No, this asshole is going to leave with our shipment if you don¡¯te right now,¡± he urges her, shing me a quick look. ¡°Sorry, Nicole.¡±


    I wave him off. ¡°No problem, Josh. No liquor, no sales.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Nora follows him away but first shouts, ¡°One o¡¯clock. His office is at the end of the hall.¡± She hurries away.


    I sink back into my chair and take a sip of my quickly cooling over-brewed coffee. Firing up myputer, I settle in to get some work done before I head to the big boss¡¯s office.

 76

    The club is quiet this time of day. Other than business managers and shift managers, there¡¯s no one here. It¡¯s the perfect part of the day. Once we open the doors for customers, it gets loud. Even with the noise-canceling walls and doors, the vibrations from the DJ stand rattle my feet.


    But for right now, I can work in peace. Even the construction has quieted down. Lunch break, I suppose.


    While they¡¯re all munching, I have a meeting to get to. This is the first time I¡¯m meeting any of the owners of Katfish. Since I didn¡¯t have to deal with them directly, I never bothered to ask Nora about them. She gave the impression one of them had an office here, but he didn¡¯t get in the way of much even when he was around.


    With my notebook and pen tucked beneath one arm, I knock on the closed office door at the end of the hall. My stomach grumbles a bit and I wish I¡¯d bothered to eat something beforehand. Nothing makes a better impression with a new boss than your stomach chiming into the business meeting.


    ¡°Yeah? Come in.¡±


    I twist the doorknob and push the door open. The office seems empty at first appearance, but then I see him. Standing in the far corner window. He has his back to me, looking between the blind ts at the construction people outside. His shoulders are broad beneath the suit jacket he¡¯s wearing-tailor-made, I assume. I¡¯ve never had the pleasure of having tailored clothing but the guys my father worked for had plenty of it.


    ¡°Uh, hi,¡± I say because he¡¯s still staring out the window and hasn¡¯t seemed to notice I¡¯m there. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to have a meeting with you at one? About marketing for the new part of the club?¡±


    He freezes. His entire body locks up for a second. Dropping his hand from the blinds, he eases himself around. Like he¡¯s not sure he wants to see what¡¯s behind him or not.


    The second his profilees into focus, my breath stops. An ache I haven¡¯t felt in years takes over my entire chest. And as he finishes his turn, Ie face to face with Jakub Staszek.


    I almost drop my notebook.


    ¡°Nicole.¡± He speaks first, his voice raw. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he asks after a long beat. This time he sounds annoyed, frustrated. I remember how much I disliked that tone.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    It¡¯s been five years since I¡¯veid eyes on Jakub. But every inch of him is still engrained in my memory.


    I clear my throat and try to shake the clouds from my head. ¡°Uh. Well, I work here. Nora told me to meet with you about some marketing stuff you wanted done?¡± I gesture to the opened door behind me, as though Nora were standing right behind me. She¡¯s not. She¡¯s tossed me into the lion¡¯s den alone.


    I shouldn¡¯t me her; she had no idea Jakub and I have history. Or how disappointing our history is.


    Another sinking feeling takes over. I¡¯m going to lose this job.


    ¡°You work here?¡± he repeats.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nod. ¡°Nora hired me a month ago. I handle the private parties, the VIP sections, that sort of thing.¡±


    He hasn¡¯t changed much in five years. His presence still takes up all the space. Nothing else is as important as him when he¡¯s in the room. Or rather, there¡¯s nothing else I could pay attention to when he was around.


    His hair is a bit longer now, slicked back away from his face. He¡¯s not as lean as he was before, but he isn¡¯t all bulk either. It¡¯s his eyes that keep my focus. The bright blueness of them. I¡¯d never seen such a deep shade, and here they are again, staring at me from across the room. So easily, they can prate my thinking just by being pointed in my direction.


    After more silence stretches between us, I close the door and take a few steps toward him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you owned this ce.¡± I tell him. ¡°I never bothered to check. If this is a problem, if it¡¯s weird, I¡¯ll get another job.¡± I don¡¯t want to, though. I really don¡¯t have time to get another job. I can¡¯t use my credit cards or my debit cards. I need cash to survive, and without it I¡¯m lost.


    He recovers, moving his gaze from me. ¡°No. That¡¯s not necessary.¡± He waves a hand in the air, pushing the thought away. ¡°Nora told me what a great job you were doing; she¡¯d probably kill me if you left on my ount.¡±


    Jakub walks to his desk, gesturing to the seat on the opposite side. ¡°When she said Nicole would be meeting with me, I didn¡¯t think she meant you.¡±


    I force a littleugh. ¡°Why would you? It¡¯s been five years.¡±


    His lips tten. ¡°Yeah. It has.¡± And the disappointment is back when his eyes once again meet mine.


    I swallow then take the chair in front of his desk. Best to dive into work. ¡°So, the construction will be done by the end of the summer, and we need to market. Nora said you didn¡¯t want to have a bigunch, just something simple. I¡¯m sure I can manage; I just need to know exactly what you¡¯re thinking of. Do you want an opening weekend st-off party type thing, you just want some banners made, a little social media stuff?¡±


    He leans back in his chair, propping one elbow on the arm. It¡¯s a small attempt at being casual, at pretending this meeting isn¡¯t throwing him off his game for a second. And maybe it isn¡¯t. Maybe it¡¯s all in my head. Because seeing him again has knocked me off track.


    ¡°Yeah, nothing too big. When we reopened Katfish it was a pain in the ass with all theunch business. I just want something simple. It¡¯s an expansion, not a new club. There will be a restaurant on the first level and the upstairs will be a cigar bar. I think keeping the focus on the restaurant will be a good way to go. But nothing too shy.¡±


    I jot down what he¡¯s saying as he continues on about the new part of the club. What he¡¯s building is something morevish than fits this part of town, but he knows that. I can tell. This is Jakub at his finest. Brainstorming. He¡¯ll do his damnedest to make this entire ce bursting at the seams with customers. And he¡¯ll seed, too.


    ¡°Okay.¡± I finish scribbling thest thing he mentioned while he waits for me to catch up. ¡°I think I can handle most of this. Do you know if you have a graphic designer or do you need me to throw something together? I¡¯m not the best, but I can toss a poster or two together.¡± Actually, I did my best work in my graphic design sses.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m sure Nora can answer that.¡± His phone beeps and he grabs it. ¡°Hey.¡±


    I stand up to give him privacy for his call, but he waves me back into my chair. We¡¯ve gone over everything I need to get started on the project, what else could he want?


    His eyes darken a fraction while he listens to the caller on the other end. I remember this look. He¡¯s not dealing with club business right now. Whatever information he¡¯s being given has to do with the Staszek family, not their clubs.


    By the time he hangs up, I¡¯ve twisted the corner of my notebook into a bent mess.


    ¡°So.¡± He ends the call, switches off the sound, and tosses it on the desk.


    ¡°So.¡± I smile at him across his desk. ¡°This ce is amazing. Nora said you¡¯ve really brought it back to life.¡±


    He nods. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s taken some time, but it¡¯sing along. The new additions will do well.¡±


    I tten my hands over my notebook in myp. ¡°Yeah. I think so. I mean, it sounds like a great n.¡±


    ¡°When did you move back?¡± He levels me with one of his serious res. It¡¯s a little presumptuous for him to take such a tone with me but seeing as I didn¡¯t exactly leave Chicago on the best circumstances, I can understand a little hostility from him. Hell, I expected him to toss me out of the office the second he recognized me.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been back just a few months.¡±


    ¡°You finished school then?¡±


    ¡°Uh. No.¡± I shake my head and lower my gaze. ¡°I didn¡¯t really get to finish. After my father passed away, there were expenses.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡± But he¡¯s not. He never had a high opinion of my father. What little he knew of him. He¡¯s not the only one.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I sink back in the chair.


    ¡°So, you moved back because he died?¡± He¡¯s fishing for information and there¡¯s not enough time right now to tell him everything. If I wanted to tell him anything. And I don¡¯t. Not right now. Maybe not ever.


    ¡°Just missed Chicago, I guess.¡± I raise my shoulders and throw on a brighter smile. But he sees right through me.


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a great city.¡± He has to know I¡¯m lying, but he¡¯s not going to call me on it.


    We¡¯re not together now, I have to remember this. He may be interested in a curious what¡¯s my ex-girlfriend up to sort of way, but he doesn¡¯t really care. And he shouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°I have a lot of work to get started on, and I need to talk with Silvia about getting her trained on the calendar.¡± I get to my feet, and he follows me.


    ¡°Silvia? She¡¯s been here for over a year, and you¡¯re training her?¡± He rounds his desk.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just showing her the calendar for the private parties. Not a big deal.¡±


    His hand wraps around mine as I grab the doorknob. Instinctively, I pull away.


    When I meet his gaze again, he looks wounded for a brief second. Then it flitters away as though it were never there.


    ¡°Nicole, are you sure you came back to Chicago only because you like it here?¡± His voice drops, and it¡¯s his deep authoritarian tone that sends hot shivers through my belly.


    It¡¯s not fair he knows me so well, and after all this time my reaction to it hasn¡¯t changed.


    I raise my eyes to his. Looking anywhere else will only keep him thinking something¡¯s going on.


    ¡°Just wanted something new. That¡¯s all, Jakub. I promise.¡± I give a curt nod as though putting an end to the topic.


    ¡°And we both know how well you keep your promises.¡±


    My stomach twists with his words. ¡°Jakub-¡±


    Before I cane up with something to say, he yanks the door open for me. ¡°Better get back to work. I want to see a mockup by Monday.¡±


    Monday.


    Right. The posters and such.


    ¡°Sure. I can do that.¡± I hold my notebook to my chest and hurry from the room. The door shuts as soon as I¡¯m in the hall. It closes so loudly it makes me jump a little.


    My cell phone dings from my back pocket and I grab it. Distractions right now are worth my weight in gold.


    Henry¡¯s out and asking around about you. Just thought you should know.


    The moment I get back to my office, I shut the door and sink into my chair, still staring at my phone.


    Henry¡¯s out of jail.


    As much as I want to, I don¡¯t text my only friend in New York back. Henry Kozac doesn¡¯t know where to find me, and so long as I have no contact with anyone associated with him, I can keep it that way.


    I hope.

 77

    Jakub


    My father, Joseph Staszek, head of our family here in Chicago, sits at our table in our usual private room at Micah¡¯s restaurant, stuffing a crab cake in his mouth. My sister Lena and my brother are already present and waiting on me, when I arrive for our family get-together.


    Lena¡¯s husband owns the restaurant, otherwise we wouldn¡¯t be sitting at a table owned by an Ivanov. We do our best to stay away from the Russians. They¡¯re ruthless bastards who can¡¯t be trusted. Better to stay clear than get entangled. Lena¡¯s marriage serves as proof of the importance of staying away from the Russians¡¯ interests.


    She¡¯s happy enough, but it still burns my belly to see her on the arm of Micah Ivanov-head of his family.


    ¡°Jakub. Finally!¡± Lena puts her hand up in the air and waves over the wait staff. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± she asks me as I pull out the chair beside her. I shuck off my jacket and sling it over the back before I sit down.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Whatever you¡¯re having is fine.¡± I pour myself a drink from the decanter. ¡°What?¡± I shoot Dominik a look when I catch him staring at me.


    He shrugs. ¡°You look like hell.¡±


    I lean back in my chair and push on a sarcastic grin. ¡°Thanks.¡± I down my drink, enjoying the fresh burn of the whiskey. I¡¯m sure I look like shit. I was up most of the night at the club for the past two nights. Not that I was needed. Nora has everything under control better than any of the five managers I hired before her.


    But every time I thought of getting out of there, I remembered Nicole Sawicki was sitting at a desk in an office not five hundred feet from where I stood.


    After our initial meeting, we¡¯ve had a handful of short conversations. Mostly work rted, but I managed to find out she¡¯s living alone not far from the club. I noticed her talking with one of construction workers yesterday morning when she arrived. I have his name and his address tucked in my pocket now. I¡¯ll have even more information on him by morning.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Lena asks with actual concern in her voice. She ces her hand on my arm and lowers her brow. ¡°You don¡¯t have to fire another manager, do you?¡±


    ¡°No. Nora¡¯s doing great.¡±


    She arches one perfectly sculpted blonde eyebrow at me.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. She¡¯s married.¡±


    ¡°And she turned you down?¡± Dominik adds.


    ¡°I never even tried. Married women are off limits.¡± I pour another drink.


    ¡°How is the construction going?¡± my father asks while stuffing another crab cake in his mouth. Considering the amount of food I see him chomping down, he¡¯s thinner than before. His hair has lost all of its color and even his face seems more ashen than thest time I saw him. It¡¯s summer, and he hates the Chicago heat, but he needs to get outside more.


    ¡°Good.¡± I nod. ¡°They¡¯ll be done on time. We¡¯ve started to get some advertising and marketing in ce for the opening.¡± Just mentioning the subject brings my mind back to Nicole. What really has brought her back to Chicago? And, more important, what dragged her off to New York to begin with?


    We weren¡¯t together long, a month maybe, but I deserved better than a text message telling me she was going out of town. Only to have another text message a weekter telling me she was staying put in New York.


    ¡°Good. Once the construction¡¯s done, we¡¯ll send the ns over for the new warehouse,¡± Dominik says.


    ¡°What new warehouse?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Not new, really, just tearing down the old one and putting up a new one,¡± Dominik exins. ¡°Now that we have the construction union on our side, we have to keep them working. If you don¡¯t feed the machine it stops.¡± He doesn¡¯t need to exin any further. As much as I hate not knowing everything that¡¯s going on, some days I don¡¯t envy my older brother.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Kasia?¡± I only now realize she¡¯s not here with the baby.


    ¡°Dominika¡¯s not feeling well again. Kasia stayed home with her,¡± Dominik exins.


    ¡°Do you need a doctor?¡± my father asks, concern weighing his words. The man is in control over who lives and dies within the world we live, but it only takes his granddaughter having a sniffle to expose his weakness.


    ¡°Kasia took her. It¡¯s an ear infection, she¡¯ll be fine. She¡¯s just being fussy and Kasia didn¡¯t want to leave her with anyone tonight.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, maybe she¡¯s finally seen the error of her ways and has decided to use this opportunity to pack a bag and run away,¡± I tease. Kasia loves my stubborn brother too much to dream of doing such a thing.


    ¡°Why do you tease him when you can¡¯t keep a woman in your bed for longer than a week?¡± My father jabs me with his elbow. ¡°Kasia has proven to be a good addition to this family.¡±


    I stare at my brother. ¡°You need Daddy toe to your defenses now?¡±


    ¡°Like children,¡± my father grumbles.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him, I¡¯m sure Kasia still likes you,¡± Lena joins in the teasing. Between the four of us, it has always been Lena and me against them. It wasn¡¯t hard. After our mother passed away Dominik took a more paternal role with our little sister. She didn¡¯t need a second father; she just needed someone to have fun with. Which is exactly what the second son gets to do.


    ¡°What did I miss?¡± Micah enters the room from the door leading from the kitchen and makes his way to Lena. He kisses her gently on her cheek before sitting on the chair on the other side of her. Dominik tenses at his presence. Micah has proven he is to be trusted, and our little sister hase to love him, but he is still a reminder of our inability to protect Lena when she needed it most.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± My father waves over the waitresses that have entered the room with our dishes. ¡°Dinner¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°You only missed Jakub making fun of Dominik.¡±


    Micah moves his amused eyes from me to our big brother. ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re here, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll switch to annoying you,¡± Dominik assures Micah and takes his te of bratwurst and red cabbage from the server.


    ¡°I have nothing to tease him over,¡± I announce as my phone buzzes from my pocket. I let it go to voicemail.


    ¡°Maybe how much he loves your little sister? How he still stares at her as though she¡¯s hung the damn moon for him?¡± Dominik eggs me on, but he knows I won¡¯t engage with Micah. Besides, tonight I¡¯m not in the mood for much else. Nicole is working at the club right now. A private party was booked, and she wanted to be the one to oversee it, even though she¡¯d already worked all day on the marketing ns for the cigar bar.


    ¡°Jakub needs to find himself his Lena,¡± my father says, pushing his te away.


    ¡°I do not,¡± I announce firmly. He¡¯s given me this lecture before, and I¡¯m not having it now. ¡°I am fine the way I am. Kasia and Dominik have already given you a granddaughter and by the way Micah is looking down Lena¡¯s damn dress, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be pregnant by morning with your first grandson.¡±

 78

    ¡°Jakub!¡± Lena shoves my arm.


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking, Jakub.¡± My father turns to me, his eyes full of seriousness and his jaw tense. ¡°I won¡¯t be alive forever. Before I go, I want to see all my children married. And grandchildren would be nice. More than just Dominika. I want a houseful of grandchildren. And your brother, he may never have a son, then what? Dominika is a smart baby, but she cannot run the Staszek family.¡±


    I look at his untouched te. Only moments ago, heined of being hungry, but since the food has arrived his appetite has fled.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re going to live at least two more decades, I¡¯d say I have time. And Dominik will get his perfect wife knocked up with an entire baseball team until he gets that boy you want so badly. And if not, there¡¯s always Lena.¡±


    My father¡¯s wary gaze moves over to my sister. I can feel the tension building.


    A son by her wouldn¡¯t be a Staszek. It would be half Ivanov.


    My phone goes off in my back pocket again.


    ¡°You worry too much.¡± I yank my phone out.


    ¡°You don¡¯t worry enough,¡± my father mumbles to himself, but I catch every word.


    ¡°Are you not hungry, Dad?¡± Lena leans across me and points to his untouched dish of breaded pork and noodles.


    ¡°I ate too many crab cakes, I think.¡± He gives a soft smile and picks up his drink.


    I swipe open my phone to read the textsing from Katfish. Two of Kaczmarek¡¯s men are in my club.


    The Kaczmarek family runs part of the city¡¯s liquor distribution, prostitution rings, and for some fun, they¡¯ve dabbled in human trafficking. There has been peace between our families for thest decade, but we¡¯ve also made it a point to stay out of each other¡¯s way. If they are in my club, it¡¯s not to have a drink and enjoy the music.


    ¡°I have to go.¡± I push away from the table. ¡°The club.¡± I kiss Lena¡¯s cheek and give a nod to Micah and Dominik.


    ¡°Something¡¯s the matter.¡± My father grabs my hand when I offer it. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Nothing I can¡¯t handle. Don¡¯t worry so much.¡± I grin down at him. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to you tomorrow,¡± I assure him.


    He shakes my hand and gives me a solid nod.


    ¡°You call if you need something before then,¡± Dominik says from across the table.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll let you know.¡± I give one final wave and head out the door.


    The Kaczmareks being in my club could mean nothing, but at the very least it helped me escape the family dinner. My father would have gone on for another hour about family loyalty and the necessity of marriage and children.


    I suppose when I get to the club, I should thank them.


    * * *


    When I enter the club through the back, the heavy beat greets me. The hallway has some sound-dampening elements, but more is needed. As I make my way toward the main area of the club, I pass Nicole¡¯s office.


    The door¡¯s wide open so I take a quick look. Her desk is empty, but her coffee cup still sits next to herputer, so I know she¡¯s still around. The woman lives on coffee. I haven¡¯t seen her drink anything other than it in the past two days.


    The business offices open up to the main room near the bar, so when I leave the hallway, I¡¯m close enough to see the bartender sliding a dirty martini across the bar to a pretty redhead. I¡¯m also near enough I see two feminine feet sticking out from a cab beneath the bar.


    Toby, the bartender, knows better than to bring his girlfriend to work, and hiding her under the bar isn¡¯t going to work. I¡¯ll get back to him on that. Right now I have to find the Kaczmareks.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Stanley, head of my security team at the club,es up behind me. ¡°You didn¡¯t need toe down here, I just didn¡¯t know if you wanted me to toss them out.¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°No. That would just cause a scene. Where are they?¡± I ask, eyeing the club. The Saturday night crowd has the dance floor packed and the lounge areas surrounding it are just as crammed with people. Looks like we¡¯re at full capacity tonight.


    ¡°At the bar,¡± Stanley informs me, and I follow him behind the bar.


    He nods his head toward the two then keeps walking. We can¡¯t appear to be ganging up on them. I¡¯m trying to avoid a scene, not cause one.


    As I step up to the bar, my foot bumps into something. The music is thumping too loudly for me to be certain, but I would almost swear I heard a woman curse. A quick nce down, and I see those same feet I noted earlier slip further back, only this time I¡¯m close enough to see it¡¯s not some random woman hiding behind the bar to flirt with the bartenders.


    It¡¯s Nicole.


    Her brow wrinkles when she meets my gaze. What the fuck is she doing down there? Before I can ask, she shakes her head and puts a finger to her lips.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    What the hell has she gotten herself into?


    ¡°Hey, Jakub. Long time, man.¡± One of the Kaczmarek men leans over the bar toward me. I step closer,pletely blocking his view past the edge of the serving section.


    ¡°It has,¡± I say, taking his hand in a firm handshake. I don¡¯t recall his name, but I¡¯ve seen him before. He¡¯s not high on the family tree, whoever he is.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t your usual spot,¡± I say, keeping my demeanor neutral. The Kaczmareks control a territory further west. They have a small part of the city, nothing like what they control in New York. The New York family has arge chunk of pretty much any underground business, andst I heard, they were starting to reach into the political ring as well.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He nods. His hair is light and drags along his shoulders. From the greasy appearance I¡¯m not sure he knows how to wash it properly. His buddy isn¡¯t looking too much better, and there¡¯s a scabbed cut under his left eye.


    These assholes aren¡¯t part of the Kaczmarek family, but they work for them. Muscle.


    Why is Kaczmarek muscle in my fucking club?


    ¡°What can I do for you? Need a drink?¡± I lean back a bit and slip my hands in my pockets.


    He has to lean further toward me to hear me well enough.


    ¡°We¡¯re just looking for someone,¡± he says with a nod, like I¡¯m fully on board with whatever bullshit they¡¯re about to pull.


    ¡°A girlfriend? I would have thought you have plenty of those on your side of town.¡±


    He pulls back, frowning. ¡°No, man. Nothing like that. I got some information the girl I¡¯m looking for hangs around here. Maybe works for you?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I move my foot beneath the bar to push against Nicole¡¯s. I¡¯m about to hear her name, and it¡¯s going to piss me right the hell off. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Nicole something.¡± He turns to his buddy. ¡°What¡¯s her name again?¡±


    All muscle, no brains. Great.


    ¡°Sawitchy, Sawicki. Something like that. She¡¯s got ck hair, brown eyes.¡±


    I push on a grin. ¡°You just described half the club.¡± I nudge my chin in the direction of the dance floor. ¡°And the name doesn¡¯t sound familiar.¡± I pin her foot down beneath mine.


    ¡°No? Cause our intel is usually pretty good,¡± he continues to push.


    ¡°Maybe your information was wrong because your guy was ying in the wrong sandbox.¡± I shrug. ¡°Now. Can I get you anything else?¡±


    A part of me wants to grab this prick and pull him over the bar. m my fist into his face a few times before demanding he tell me why he¡¯s looking for Nicole. But doing that would expose her hiding ce. I¡¯ll have to get my answers from her instead.


    And I will get answers.


    He stares me down for a full second before he finally backs off. This asshole is in my club and he¡¯s trying to eyeball me. I huff augh. This isn¡¯t fucking kindergarten, and this isn¡¯t the way I y ball.


    ¡°You got your answer,¡± I say firmly and move my gaze toward the exit.


    ¡°We paid the cover,¡± the second guy argues.


    ¡°Happy to return it.¡± I pull out a few bills from my pocket and toss it at them. ¡°Have a nice night, gentlemen.¡±


    Like the scum of the barrel they are, they swipe up my cash and maneuver themselves to the exit.


    I wave Stanley over to me.


    ¡°Stanley, make sure they leave and talk to whoever¡¯s at the door tonight. I don¡¯t want them back inside.¡±


    ¡°You got it.¡±


    After he disappears into the crowd, I take a step back from the bar and crouch down, putting me eye to eye with my little stowaway. ¡°Friends of yours?¡± I ask.


    She frowns. ¡°No.¡± She starts to move like she¡¯s going to get up, but I push her back.


    ¡°Wait till I get the all clear they¡¯re gone,¡± I tell her.


    With a nod, she obeys, but I¡¯m sure it will be thest bit of obedience I see in her tonight. Because as soon as I get her ass in my office, she¡¯s got a lot of exining to do, and I¡¯m not going to let her step one toe out of my office until she does it.

 79

    Nicole


    Jakub¡¯s silence fills the space between us as we pass through the entrance to the business offices. The heavy beats of the DJ die as soon as the door shuts behind us and we head down the corridor. I keep up with his pace but let him take the lead. As we get closer to my office, I slow my step.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± he says without breaking stride. ¡°My office. Now.¡±


    I pause, staring at the back of him as he marches to his office, momentarily considering defying him. But we aren¡¯t us anymore and this isn¡¯t five years ago. He¡¯s my boss now. And I still need this job, so I get moving again and catch up with him just as he pushes his office door open for me.


    As soon as I¡¯m inside, he enters, shutting the door softly. Jakub isn¡¯t the mming door sort of guy. I wish he was. The dark quiet doesn¡¯t give me a lot to go on here. How pissed is he, and exactly why is he pissed? There are several different things that could get his temper going, but I need to know which one so I can defuse the right bomb.


    Jakub brushes past me to his desk. Leaning his hip against the edge, he crosses his arms over his chest and sets his re on me. Okay, the level of pissed is higher than I originally thought.


    ¡°Jakub,¡± I start and then stop. There is no good ce to start this conversation. It¡¯s probably safer if I just keep my mouth shut and let him ask the questions.


    Only answer what you¡¯ve been asked, never offer information that wasn¡¯t requested. One of the more helpful bits of advice my dad left me with.


    ¡°How do those assholes know you?¡± His tone is level. Reasonable even.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know them.¡± Which is true. I don¡¯t. I barely recognized them from the one brief encounter I had with them over a year ago when Henry brought me to Chicago for a quick trip. I never even spoke to them.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say you did. I said how do they know you?¡± he asks again, his tone deepening.


    ¡°They work for the Kaczmarek family.¡±


    His eyes darken. ¡°Nicole. I know it¡¯s been a few years, and we didn¡¯t get too serious when you were with me, but I¡¯m pretty sure I made it clear about I felt about deception of any sort.¡±


    My stomach twists a little at the memory. He¡¯d been very clear. And it had been a very interesting night. And my ass was sore for two days afterward.


    ¡°Like you said, it¡¯s been a few years. We aren¡¯t together now,¡± I remind him. I can¡¯t let him think his threats have any impact on me. Even if they do make my insides shiver with need. It¡¯s been a long time since a man touched me the way Jakub had.


    Henry wasn¡¯t anything like Jakub. And he wasn¡¯t my choice.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he agrees but doesn¡¯t uncross his arms. ¡°I¡¯m your boss now. And if you lie to me, I can¡¯t spank your ass for it, but I can fire it.¡±


    And now he has my full attention.


    ¡°You¡¯d fire me over this?¡±


    ¡°If I can¡¯t trust you, you can¡¯t work here,¡± he says tly. ¡°Nora will understand.¡± And there goes my only ally.


    After a long pause in which I spend analyzing my choices, he drops his hands to his sides and moves toward me.


    ¡°Something happened,¡± he says quietly. ¡°When you went to New York, something went wrong and that¡¯s why you didn¡¯te home. And now the Kaczmarek family is asking about you. It doesn¡¯t take too much intelligence to figure this out, Nicole. Just tell me what you did so I can help.¡±


    ¡°I can handle it on my own,¡± I say, matching his tone. I have just enough cash to get a train ticket out of Chicago. I¡¯ll have to start over again, and I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯ll do to get more money scraped up for another apartment, but I¡¯ll make do.


    He tilts his head to the side. ¡°I know you can. But if you¡¯re going to keep working here, I have to know what¡¯s going on. If there¡¯s a quick way for me to stop it, I¡¯ll do it.¡± He puts his hand up to block me when I open my mouth to argue. ¡°Not just for you, but for the club. Nora really would be pissed if I had to fire you. And I don¡¯t want to have to get started with someone new on the graphic stuff.¡±


    Of course. If he doesn¡¯t get them to back off, his business could suffer.


    ¡°When I was in New York I was seeing a guy, Henry. It wasn¡¯t serious. At least I didn¡¯t think it was, but he had other ideas. Anyway, after I told him I didn¡¯t want to see him anymore, a weekter he got picked up by the cops for petty shit. I¡¯m not sure exactly why.¡±


    He stares at me intently. When Jakub Staszek gives you his full attention it¡¯s like the heat of the sun shines on your face.


    ¡°He thinks I turned him in.¡± I shrug. ¡°Which of course I didn¡¯t.¡± I add this quick because even though I don¡¯t know much of Jakub¡¯s family business, I know the connections they have suggest he¡¯s fully aware of what happens to people who turn to the cops.


    ¡°So, they¡¯re looking for you because they think you ratted?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Henry was still delusional about us being together; maybe he¡¯s just looking for me because of that. He was released on bail.¡±


    Jakub stares at me, his brain flying a million miles a minute with ideas on how to fix this for me.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°Jakub, I know you think you can just step in here and do something, but you know as well as I do you can¡¯t. If you get involved, it will seem like the Staszek family is interfering in Kaczmarek business, which could mean bad things for your family.¡±


    His brow lifts.


    ¡°What exactly do you know about the Kaczmarek family? Or mine?¡± There¡¯s that dominating tone again.


    ¡°Enough to know you and me were never going to work out.¡±


    His eyes narrow. ¡°Five years ago? Why?¡±


    ¡°Because my father worked for the Kaczmareks. My being involved with a Staszek could have gotten him in some serious trouble.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you left?¡± His voice raises with surprise. ¡°You thought your daddy would get in trouble with his boss?¡±


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t tied to them with blood, Jakub. He was hired muscle. It wouldn¡¯t have looked good.¡±


    He throws his head back andughs like I¡¯ve just told him the funniest joke he¡¯s ever heard. ¡°If he was a low-level muscle, they probably wouldn¡¯t have given a shit. Why didn¡¯t you just tell me this five years ago?¡±


    I shrug. ¡°I was leaving anyway, Jakub. Dad got called back to New York and I wasn¡¯t going to let him go on his own.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    I shake my head. I¡¯ve answered enough questions. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Look, I¡¯m sorry they were here looking for me, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯lle back.¡±


    He stares at me in silence. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not such a good idea you living by yourself right now,¡± he says.


    ¡°How do you know I live alone?¡± I demand.


    ¡°Because I do.¡± He¡¯s not going to expand his statement.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m perfectly safe at my apartment. I don¡¯t need you or anyone else to help me, Jakub. I¡¯m serious. Leave it be.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s safe,¡± he argues.


    ¡°It¡¯s not up to you,¡± I remind him, raising my chin. I¡¯m not giving in here and he has to know that. I¡¯m not the sort to back down just because he gets all fierce re-y at me.


    After a long pause he wipes his hand across his mouth.


    ¡°Fine. But at least let me have someone drive you home.¡±


    My feet are throbbing, and I¡¯ve been dreading the walk home, so I¡¯m not going to pass this up.


    ¡°If it makes you happy, fine.¡±


    He raises an eyebrow like he can see right through me, and he probably can. ¡°Go get your stuff, I¡¯ll have the car out front in a minute.¡±


    I smile. ¡°Thank you, that would be nice.¡±


    He shakes his head. ¡°Don¡¯t for one second think we¡¯re done talking about all of this.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of it, Jakub. I remember how stubborn you can be.¡±


    ¡°Me? Stubborn?¡± He has his phone in his hands tapping away on the screen, but I can see the up-curve of his lips. His initial irritation has waned, and he¡¯s being yful.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get my purse.¡± I leave him while he¡¯s in a generous mood and before he starts asking any other questions.


    Tomorrow is my day off and now, thanks to fucking Henry, I¡¯m going to have to spend it looking for a new job or a new ce to live. I wonder how much time I have before I¡¯m forced into leaving. Hopefully I can scratch up enough cash to get gone before Henry or his goons get their hands on me.

 80

    Nicole


    The humidity finally broke in the city, so I ventured to the coffee shop at the end of my block. It¡¯s my day off and after being up for most of the night trying to figure out my next move, I need a pick me up.


    With arge mhiato in my grip, I head back out onto the sunny street. I pluck my sunsses from the top of my head and slide them up my nose. I¡¯ve never liked the sun much, and it really hates me. No matter what SPF I smear over my skin, I¡¯ll burn to a crisp if I¡¯m in it too long.


    ¡°Nicole?¡± Jakub¡¯s voice stops me as I reach the crosswalk. When I turn around, I see him heading toward me.


    He¡¯s not in his suit, but rather a pair of jeans and a dark gray t-shirt tucked into his pants. Noticing his pants makes me notice the thick ck belt around his waist. I force my gaze away before my mind starts to drift off to memories of his belt.


    ¡°Jakub. What are you doing around here?¡± I ask, looking behind him. His car isn¡¯t around, at least not the ck SUV he sent me home inst night.


    He reaches me and looks across the street and then down the sidewalk behind me.


    ¡°What are you doing out here?¡± he asks as though I¡¯m some jailbird who¡¯s out of her cage.


    I show him my coffee cup. ¡°Getting coffee. It¡¯s a nice day, well, as nice as it can be in Chicago in the summer. But what are you doing here? I can¡¯t imagine you live around here.¡±


    I don¡¯t live in a shitty area. But it¡¯s not exactly what Jakub is used to. When I met him five years ago and he only ran the one club, he lived in an amazing apartment close to Lakeshore Drive. With him now running three clubs, I can¡¯t imagine he¡¯s downgraded his living situation.


    ¡°I was heading your way.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I take a small step back. ¡°And where¡¯s your car?¡±


    His blond eyebrow arches, peeking over the rim of his designer sunsses.


    ¡°I was at the club; thought I¡¯d take a walk to see you then head back.¡±


    ¡°Well. Here I am, no need to go all the way to my apartment. Did you need something?¡±


    He runs his tongue along the front of his top row of teeth. He does this when he¡¯s agitated and trying to find a delicate way of saying something. He doesn¡¯t want to piss me off because I¡¯ll probably tell him to go to hell, but he¡¯s not one to drop a subject if he¡¯s deemed more information is needed.


    ¡°I wanted to be sure you were all right. I tried calling. You didn¡¯t answer.¡±


    I feel my back pocket for my phone and find it empty.


    ¡°I must have left my phone at home.¡± I¡¯m not as attached to it as most of society, and since I¡¯m doing everything I can to remain below the radar of anyone back home, I have no need for it.


    His brow shoots up again. ¡°You left it at home?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± I shrug. ¡°I only need it for work and since it¡¯s my day off and the club isn¡¯t even open, I didn¡¯t even think of it.¡±


    ¡°No one back in New York might call?¡± He¡¯s pushing already.


    ¡°No one I want to talk to.¡± That¡¯s not entirely true. I had a small group of friends back there but talking to them now could put them in danger. And I won¡¯t do that.


    ¡°Well. Let me walk you home then.¡± He gestures for me to cross the street as the light turns.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he says, pressing his open hand to the small of my back. ¡°But I want to.¡±


    We cross the street together, and even after we step onto the sidewalk on the side, he doesn¡¯t move his hand.


    And I don¡¯t ask him to.


    ¡°Do you ever not get what you want?¡± I ask.


    Heughs. ¡°Hasn¡¯t happened yet.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a good thing here, Jakub. Running three clubs. And from what I¡¯ve seen, they¡¯re all growing.¡±


    He drops his hand from my back. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m good at running night clubs.¡±


    I get the feeling he¡¯d like to be running other things. His own crew maybe. Something that didn¡¯t require him to stay so close to the line of thew.


    ¡°You said your dad passing away is what brought you back here. I assume there¡¯s more to the story?¡± he asks, quickly brushing away any chance to dive deeper into his own life choices.


    I nod. ¡°Dad liked Henry. I wouldn¡¯t have given him a second nce, but Dad said it would have been an insult to not at least give him a chance. So I did, but then it would have been an insult not to ept a second date or a third, next thing I knew we were together.¡±


    ¡°Not something that makes youfortable, if I remember right,¡± he says in a low voice. It¡¯s a small dig at my disappearing act five years ago, and he deserves to take a shot at me about that. I was a coward, and we both know it.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°I was going to leave New York once I was done with school, but then Dad died and things got, well, shitty. Henry wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer and it was made clear if I wanted to stay in the good graces of the Kaczmareks I shouldn¡¯t insult him in any way. They helped me bury Dad and pay off his debts. Dad wasn¡¯t the best with his finances, and I was only working part time.¡±


    ¡°You took money from them?¡± He pulls me to a stop a building before my own.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice. Dad owed people who weren¡¯t going to take ¡®sorry, he¡¯s dead¡¯ for an answer,¡± I insist.


    His jaw tightens. ¡°You could have told me about who your dad worked for. It wouldn¡¯t have changed things between us.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you. I couldn¡¯t let my dad know. You¡¯re the second son of the head of the Staszek family, Jakub. I get the feeling you don¡¯t understand the power thates with that.¡±


    His lips tten.

 81

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a smart idea.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you even start up with me? You knew who I was the first night, why not just tell me to take a hike?¡±


    All good questions.


    ¡°That first night I thought it would just be a one-night thing. Then I figured a few times would be fine. A few dinners, some great sex.¡± I try to put on a coy smile, but he¡¯s not affected by it. ¡°It got out of hand. I liked being with you.¡±


    He scoffs and tilts his head back. ¡°You don¡¯t know what being with me is really like, Nicole.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°It means, it¡¯s probably better you did run off to New York.¡±


    I pull back from him. ¡°If you didn¡¯t give a shit that I left, then why the wounded warrior look now?¡±


    He pulls his sunsses off, showing off how dark his eyes have gotten over the course of our conversation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like deception. It¡¯s that simple.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t like not getting what you want,¡± I point out. ¡°I guess you were wrong; it has happened at least once in your life.¡± I push past him and hurry toward my apartment.


    ¡°Nicole.¡± His voice is hard, firmer than he¡¯s ever used with me and a small part of me wants to stop, wants to turn to him and see what he has to say. But I¡¯m not ying games. I don¡¯t have time and since I¡¯m leaving town soon anyway, it really doesn¡¯t matter.


    I jog up my steps and into the building. I¡¯m halfway up the first flight of stairs when I hear him behind me.


    ¡°Jakub, I¡¯m home. You can go now. I¡¯ll see you at work,¡± I throw over my shoulder, turning on the firstnding and jogging up the second flight of stairs to my floor.


    He doesn¡¯t listen, of course, and he¡¯s right on my heels as I head down the hall to my apartment. I managed to snag the corner apartment. It¡¯s just as small and shitty as the others, but it has more windows.


    My door is cracked open when I get to it. Jakub grabs my arm before I can reach for the door.


    ¡°Did you leave it open?¡± he asks quietly, shoving me behind him. I nearly drop my coffee in the process.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡± I mirror his soft speech. Maybe someone broke in, realized I have nothing of worth to steal, and left.


    ¡°Stay out here.¡± He pins me to the wall with his hand then pierces me with a dark re. ¡°I mean it, Nicole. Do note inside until I call you.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± I nod.


    He shakes his head. ¡°I¡¯m being serious.¡±


    I roll my eyes. ¡°All this time you¡¯re wasting ying caveman, you could be in there checking to see if the burr left.¡±


    His eyes narrow. ¡°You¡¯ll see what ying caveman really is if you step one toe in that apartment.¡±


    Because I want him to get moving, I say nothing in response. There¡¯s probably no one in the apartment anyway. I most likely just didn¡¯t shut it all the way when I left.


    He hands me his sunsses, then bends over and yanks up the leg of his jeans, exposing the Glock strapped to his calf. After grabbing it, he gives me one more stern look then slowly pushes the apartment door open and creeps inside.


    I lean my head against the wall and close my eyes, taking off my own sunsses as well. This is stupid. Henry wouldn¡¯t send guys to my apartment yet. How could they have found me so fast? And aside from that, standing out here isn¡¯t going to do much good if the danger insidees running outside.


    With our sses in one fist and my coffee cup in the other, I toe the door open and slither inside. My living room is torn apart. The couch has been turned over, and my television is lying face down on the floor. Robbers. Not Henry¡¯s guys. Just assholes trying to steal my shit.


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing in here?¡± Jakub steps out from the kitchen, angry eyes leveled on me.


    ¡°There¡¯s no one here, Jakub. See? I got robbed, well-¡± I look around. ¡°Not really. Nothing¡¯s missing.¡± Because I didn¡¯t have anything.


    ¡°Let me check the bedroom,¡± he says.


    ¡°Fine. I have to pee.¡± I drop everything onto the kitchen counter and hurry to the bathroom. He can do his little sweep of the bedroom like the badass he seems to think he is, and when he finds no one, he¡¯ll leave.


    The moment I step into the bathroom a hand mps over my mouth from behind, and I¡¯m pulled back against a heavy chest. No amount of wiggling gets me loose, and when I try to scream the barrel of a gun is pushed into my temple.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± the voice hisses.


    ¡°Fuck, man. Jakub Staszek is out there. We can¡¯t just take her now.¡± Another voicees from the shower. I can¡¯t turn well enough to see his face, but I recognize the voice fromst night.


    These are Henry¡¯s guys.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Look, we¡¯re going to walk right out of here. Jakub isn¡¯t going to do anything that will cause problems with Piotr. She¡¯s a Kaczmarek problem, and we take care of our own,¡± the guy smothering me with his hand says. Panic underlines his n, though. And a scared criminal is an unpredictable criminal.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Trust me!¡±


    I throw my elbow back at my captor but he¡¯s too fat for it to do much of anything other than piss him off even more. The barrel gets pushed harder against my head. I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be a bruise tomorrow.


    If I have a tomorrow.


    ¡°Nicole! What are you doing in there?¡± Jakub calls for me. From the sound of it, he¡¯s in the living room. Which means these assholes have to walk right past him.


    I shake my head, trying to warn this guy Jakub will kill them. They have to let me go, but he¡¯s too panicked with thest-minute change in their ns to take me seriously.


    ¡°Okay, here we go. Move.¡± He shoves me forward with his body and frog-walks me out of the bathroom and down the hall to the living room. Jakub sees us right away; he¡¯s still holding his gun, but he hasn¡¯t raised it yet.


    ¡°Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum,¡± he says, shaking his head like a disappointed father catching his two sons stealing from the cookie jar before dinner. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d have enough sense not to do something so fucking stupid.¡±


    ¡°You said you didn¡¯t know this bitch,¡± the guy behind us uses Jakub. Hiding behind his buddy and me seems to have given him enough courage to stop cowering in my shower.


    Jakub shrugs. ¡°I lied.¡±


    ¡°Look. We don¡¯t want any problems. We¡¯re just gonna take her back home. Henry wants her. Piotr gave the go ahead, so you can¡¯t stop us. I mean it would be dumb-¡±


    ¡°Piotr Kaczmarek gave you the okay toe into my club and try to snatch a woman who works for me? He said you shoulde to her apartment and grab her? This is being done on his word?¡± Jakub¡¯s words have them more afraid. If they aren¡¯t working on the orders of Piotr but have said they are, they¡¯re in for a world of hurt. And not from Jakub. Using the family¡¯s name in vain ranks right up there with the secondmandment.


    ¡°We have to bring her home.¡± The gun grates against my temple again. He¡¯s getting shaky. Henry obviously didn¡¯t send his best men after me. It¡¯s good to know I mean so much to him.

 82

    ¡°She¡¯s not going anywhere.¡± Jakub drops his casual facade and raises his gun, aiming it in my direction. I tense up beneath the hand over my mouth. It doesn¡¯t matter that his hand is stopping so much air; my lungs don¡¯t want to work right now anyway. When a gun is pointed at you, apparently the internal workings of your body take a vacation.


    ¡°And if you don¡¯t let her go right now, you¡¯re not going anywhere either.¡±


    The guy holding me wraps his arm tighter around me. If he runs back to Henry with his tail between his legs without me, there will be trouble.


    ¡°Let her go.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know who you¡¯re fucking with. She¡¯sing with us.¡± My captor cocks his gun. A near deafening sound when it happens right next to your ear and the bullet is meant for you.


    I¡¯m shoved forward. A gunshot fires, and a body drops to the floor. Everything happens in a swirl of time, sweeping me up into a twisted storm. One second, I¡¯m crushed against his chest, the next I¡¯m on the floor.


    When I finally turn around and look, I see the coward standing in the doorway to the kitchen, his hands in the air. The guy who was holding me is on the floor with me, a bullet hole in his forehead. Blood spills onto the thin fraying gray carpet beneath him.


    ¡°You should leave now,¡± Jakub says to the lone man. ¡°Tell Piotr if he has a problem with this, to call me directly.¡±


    A stammer of nonsense falls from the goon¡¯s lips before he turns and runs from the apartment.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jakub steps over the body and gets in my line of sight. ¡°Nicole.¡± He squats down in front of me, grabbing my chin and roughly dragging my attention to him.


    It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve seen a guy drop from a bullet. As much as my dad tried to protect me from his ¡®work,¡¯ he couldn¡¯t stop me from seeing a few things. But none of those men died because of me.


    ¡°Yeah. Yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡± I tug my chin from his grip and scramble to my feet. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that.¡± I rake both my hands through my hair. I have a dead body in my apartment. His blood is soaking into the cheap carpeting.


    ¡°He touched you,¡± Jakub says, casually propping his boot up on my couch and tucking the Glock back in the holster.


    A nervousugh explodes from my chest. ¡°He touched me? Are you going to kill every man that touches me?¡±


    He levels me with a hard re. ¡°You can¡¯t stay here.¡± He drops his foot back to the floor and straightens up.


    ¡°There¡¯s bound to be a few questions about this, Jakub.¡± I point at the body. The guy¡¯s eyes are wide open, staring nkly across the room. Surprise has frozen on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this. You go pack some stuff. Clothes, essentials, anything you can¡¯t live without for a while.¡± He motions to theptop sitting on the coffee table. ¡°Like yourputer.¡±


    ¡°Why? Where am I supposed to go?¡± I suppose I can go ahead and use my ATM card since Henry already knows where I am. Better to get the cash out and dash at this point. I shouldn¡¯t have assumed Henry would be reasonable; I should have just emptied the ounts right away.


    ¡°You¡¯reing to my ce,¡± he says then puts his cell to his ear and turns away. ¡°Hey. Yeah. I need a cleanup crew.¡±


    I stare at the back of his head while he talks, giving my address to whoever¡¯s on the other side of the line and directions for what he wants done. It¡¯s all said in code. But I¡¯m fluent. This guy is going to disappear. He never happened, that¡¯s what¡¯s about to take ce. My apartment will be scrubbed clean and unless the FBI brings in their best forensics team, they won¡¯t find a trace of this sorry prick.


    ¡°Nicole. Go,¡± Jakub says to me when he¡¯s done with the call and I¡¯m still standing there in the middle of my apartment. Why aren¡¯t there sirens? Didn¡¯t anyone hear the gunshot?


    ¡°I can¡¯t stay with you, Jakub,¡± I say finally.


    ¡°And why is that?¡± He folds his arms over this chest. He¡¯s gotten more stubborn over the years.


    So have I.


    ¡°Because they¡¯ll know I¡¯m with you now. Which means they¡¯lle looking for me, or Piotr wille calling on you. You can¡¯t get involved in this; it will cause trouble for your entire family. I won¡¯t do that.¡± I shake my head.


    ¡°When Piotr contacts me, we¡¯ll have a chat about his mening at you the way they did. It¡¯s already done, Nicole. I¡¯m in this.¡±


    He¡¯s right. Either way, he¡¯s involved. He just killed one of the Kaczmareks¡¯ hired thugs. There is no going back now.


    ¡°Still. It would be better if I just go.¡±


    He drops his hands to his sides and marches out of the living room straight to my bedroom. I catch up to him as he flips on the lights and jerks my closet open.


    I¡¯m already half packed.


    When he pushes the closet door closed enough to see me, a cold shiver runs down my spine.


    ¡°You were going to just take off again?¡±


    ¡°No. I wasn¡¯t sure when I was going. I would tell you.¡± I nned to anyway, but if I had to ditch fast, there might have been time.


    Silently, he grabs my suitcase and tosses it on the bed. While I stand there, my feet frozen stupidly to the floor, he grabs my clothes from the hangers and tosses them inside the bag.


    ¡°Stop!¡± I finally get my body to move and hurry forward. ¡°I can do it. Just stop.¡± I grab his forearm as he drops more sweaters into the bag. I don¡¯t have much, but everything¡¯s crumpled up and taking up more space in the bag.


    ¡°Fill it. Now.¡± He points a finger at the bag. ¡°We have to go.¡± He makes his way to the door.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll stay with you but just for a few nights. Just until you rece me at the club, and I figure out where I¡¯m going.¡±


    He raises his brow, like what I¡¯ve said just blew his mind. ¡°When we get home, you and I are going to have a talk about your little act of disobedience.¡±


    It takes a second for his words to register, and he¡¯s already at the bedroom door before my brain works again.


    ¡°What? You meaning into my apartment?¡±


    ¡°I warned you, Nicole.¡±


    It¡¯s thest thing he says before he disappears down the hall. A few secondster I hear quiet voices talking in the living room. The cleaners have arrived.


    I stare at my half-filled suitcase.


    I never should havee back to Chicago.

 83

    Jakub


    Nicole sits at my kitchen ind with a fresh coffee in her hands, staring out the windows in the living room. I got lucky with this ce; when I bought out the warehouse downstairs, I had the second and third floors remodeled into a condo. It¡¯s quiet up here thanks to the soundproof flooring, so no matter what¡¯s going on downstairs, I¡¯m not disturbed.


    Which is good for nights like this, when I have a girl who needs my undivided attention.


    She brings her cup up to her lips and takes a small sip, her eyes casually scanning the area until she hits me. In a sh she readjusts her stare.


    ¡°You about done?¡± I ask, pushing off the load bearing post. I have an open floor concept down here, making the ce look more warehouse than luxury. I like it; dark wood flooring, original brick walls,rge windows overlooking the city. It¡¯sfortable.


    But there¡¯s nowhere to hide, so she can¡¯t get away from me. Even if she wants to.


    Nicole puts her cup down and ttens her hands on the counter.


    ¡°Jakub, you can¡¯t do whatever it is you think you¡¯re going to do to me.¡± She tightens her jaw. I can¡¯t tell if she¡¯s trying to intimidate me or just to hold her words back. I remember her being very vocal-about everything.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m pretty sure I can do whatever I want, whenever I want, but how about you first tell me what you think I¡¯m going to do to you?¡± My words bring a soft pink to her cheeks. She¡¯s not easy to make blush, but I do remember what works with her. I only turned her ass over my knee once in the short time we were together, but just being reminded of it makes her face me. I think she liked it a hell of a lot more than she allowed herself to believe.


    ¡°Look. I¡¯m grateful you¡¯ve let me stay here for a day or two, but we can¡¯t do¡­ well, what we did.¡±


    I take steady steps to where she¡¯s sitting and lean over the kitchen ind until I have her gaze lined up with my own. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you stay here, Nicole. I¡¯m making you stay here. There¡¯s a difference.¡±


    She rolls her eyes. ¡°Fine, if that¡¯s what you need to think.¡±


    I grab her coffee cup and pull it away from her. ¡°The difference is if I were letting you stay, I¡¯d let you leave. But since I¡¯m making you stay, I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she demands, her temper ring.


    ¡°It means until we have all this settled with the Kaczmarek family, you¡¯re not leaving this apartment. For any reason.¡±


    ¡°No way, Jakub. I have to work-¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Okay, you¡¯re fired.¡± I shrug before she can finish her argument.


    Her nostrils re and her dark eyes go wide. ¡°You can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°I own the club, so yeah, I can. And I just did. It¡¯s not safe for you at the club. If Piotr decides to pop up somewhere it will probably be there, so you aren¡¯t to be there. You¡¯re staying here where I have men downstairs who can protect you if the Kaczmareks show up while I¡¯m not here.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me that when I agreed toe here.¡± She jumps off the stool she¡¯s perched on and storms past me. ¡°I never would havee.¡±


    ¡°Nicole.¡± I slowly follow her as she grabs her stuffed suitcase and purse and heads for the freight elevator that acts as my main entrance. Even if she gets down to the main floor, I¡¯ve posted two men down there. She won¡¯t get two feet before she¡¯s grabbed and held until I can get to her.


    She hits the call button on the elevator, but it¡¯s not going to open.


    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d have the elevator just open to anyone? It¡¯s basically my front door, Nicole.¡± I put myself between the electric panel and her. ¡°Unless you have the turnkey, it¡¯s not going to work.¡± I move to the side and point to the keyhole.


    There¡¯s a fire escape and a back stairwell but she doesn¡¯t know about those yet.


    ¡°You can¡¯t hold me hostage.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m protecting you.¡±


    She levels a heated stare on me. ¡°You¡¯re protecting yourself.¡±


    I lift one shoulder. ¡°A little, yeah, but if you aren¡¯t here, they¡¯ll find you without any protection. Here. They¡¯ll be more respectful when theye looking for you. Which probably won¡¯t be for a day or more. Depends on how long the little piss ant takes to tell his boss he failed.¡±


    More than likely, he¡¯ll lick his wounds at a bar for the night and then go crawling to his boss in the morning.


    Frustration blooms across her features and slowly reality wears away at the fight in her. She leans the suitcase up against the wall and drops her purse on the floor beside it.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯m stuck here.¡± She throws her hands up in the air and stomps her way over to my ck leather couch.


    ¡°Pouting won¡¯t help your situation.¡±


    She leans forward, elbows on her knees and puts her face into her hands. Her shoulders slump and for a moment I think she¡¯s going to start crying.


    ¡°My situation.¡± She throws her head back andughs. ¡°My situation is I¡¯m stuck with you until the Kaczmareks decide to either leave me alone or have me killed because I dated one of their wackos at the insistence of my father.¡± Sheughs some more, then slouches into the couch andys her hand over her stomach.


    When I get to where she¡¯s sitting, I sink onto the couch beside her. She¡¯s wearing a light pink V-neck t-shirt and a pair of cutoff jean shorts. There¡¯s a stter of blood on her shorts and more on her bare leg. I touch the spot on her thigh.


    ¡°You should wash up.¡±


    She cranes her neck to see where I¡¯m pointing and sighs. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re stuck in the middle of this, Jakub. If I had known you owned Katfish, I wouldn¡¯t have even applied.¡±


    There¡¯s a sadness to her tone, and I fucking hate it.


    ¡°Go wash up, the shower¡¯s in the bathroom attached to the bedroom upstairs. Last door on the left.¡± I gesture to the stairs against the far wall. There are three rooms upstairs, the hallway is open and overlooks the main living area of the apartment.


    I reach over to her face, running the back of my hand along her cheek. Any other woman I know would have been a crying mess after seeing what she saw in her apartment, except for my sister. But not Nicole. She¡¯s reserved and holding back. If it wasn¡¯t for the little tremble of her lower lip, I might not notice the stress she¡¯s feeling right now.


    ¡°Go on. I have to make a few calls, then I¡¯ll bring your bags up.¡± I cup the back of her neck, pulling her slightly in my direction. ¡°Go on, we¡¯ll talk more when you¡¯re done.¡±


    A shaky smile dances on her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t think you mean talk though, do you?¡±


    I grin. ¡°We¡¯ll talk first,¡± I promise. She¡¯s stressed and tired. As much as she deserves to have her ass tanned for what she did at the apartment, relieving her stress is more important. I need her calm and clearheaded for whatever ising our way next.

 84

    Jakub¡¯s shower is as close to heaven I¡¯ve been in ages.


    His entire ce is amazing. It has a rough exterior to it with the brick walls and dark wood, but after a few minutes the warmth and coziness of the ce sinks in.


    But his shower, so far, is my favorite ce. It¡¯s a walk-in shower that can easily fit two, maybe three people, with a double showerhead. There¡¯s even a built-in seat. Best of all, the water stays hot the entire time I¡¯m in there. A luxury I have gone without since moving back to Chicago.


    By the time I¡¯m out and dried off, Jakub has brought my suitcase up. He¡¯sid out a pair of pajama shorts and t-shirt for me on the bed and tucked the suitcase into the corner of the room. Apparently, that¡¯s what he wants me to wear.


    His voice carries from downstairs. He¡¯s on the phone again. Probably trying to find a ce to stash me so I can be safe, but where he doesn¡¯t have to get his hands dirty with the Kaczmareks.


    I don¡¯t know much about Piotr, but I¡¯ve met his cousin, Christian, in New York. He runs the family out there and my dad answered directly to him on several asions. If Piotr is half as arrogant and unreasonable as his cousin, I¡¯m fucked.


    I unwrap my hair from the towel and pick up the pajamas. No panties. Of course. After I¡¯m fully dried off, I slip into the id shorts and light gray shirt.


    The sun is already sinking in the sky, casting the room with an orange-ish hue. Even the room screams of masculinity. The bed has fourrge wood square posts, and the headboard is made of ck iron. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if there were hooks on the posts.


    Remembering a particr night where he bound my hands behind my back, my face heats and I shove the memory away. This isn¡¯t then. I have to remember that.


    I also need to move my stuff to the spare bedroom.


    After shoving my dirty clothes into the front section of my suitcase, I roll it to the door. The room next door is empty and has a bed. I¡¯ll just stay there. Jakub can¡¯t expect I¡¯d sleep in his bed with him, and I don¡¯t want to put him out of his own room.


    Before I can reach the door, it swings open and Jakub¡¯s there, filling the space. He quickly nces down to what I¡¯m doing and frowns.


    ¡°No.¡± He reaches for the bag, but I pull back from him before he can get a hold of it.


    ¡°Jakub. I¡¯m just going to stay in the next room. I can¡¯t take your room from you.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t.¡± He grabs hold of the strap and tugs it from my grasp.


    ¡°I¡¯m not spending the night in your bed.¡± I fold my arms over my chest.


    He rolls the suitcase back to where it was before giving me his attention.


    ¡°We still need to talk about your behavior at the apartment.¡± He dips his chin. He¡¯s serious.


    ¡°Jakub, it was my apartment. You can¡¯t be mad at me for going into my own apartment.¡±


    ¡°I was very specific, wasn¡¯t I, about where you should wait?¡±


    I scoff. ¡°That has nothing to do with anything.¡±


    His frown cracks at the edges. ¡°Nothing to do with anything. That doesn¡¯t even make any sense.¡±


    I blink a few times. ¡°You killed someone, Jakub, and you want to lecture me on if I was in the hallway or in the living room at the time?¡± I march over to the bed and nt myself on the edge of it. ¡°Fine. Go ahead and lecture.¡±


    But when his gaze follows me, when those blue eyes of his wanders over me, it¡¯s not lecturing that¡¯s on his mind.


    ¡°Come here, Nicole.¡± He crooks his finger at me and points to the spot on the hard wood flooring just in front of his feet. I stare at him, resolved to let him wait all night. Caving to Jakub will only let him think he has a chance of making me bend to him. And I can¡¯t do that. I won¡¯t do it.


    I don¡¯t have the luxury of doing that.


    ¡°If I have to wait, you¡¯ll be sorry.¡± He slowly arches an eyebrow.


    Heat runs up my spine, sending the little hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end.


    ¡°Fine.¡± I shove back off the bed and move to where he wants me, then I take arge step back. He can¡¯t have every inch.


    He drops his hand and smiles. ¡°That wasn¡¯t so bad, right?¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I ask, ncing at the window. The sun is gone now, casting the sky into darkness. The bed tablemps must be on a timer, because they¡¯ve flickered to life.


    ¡°Are you okay? Anything hurt?¡± He grabs my shoulders and turns me every which way, looking me over.


    ¡°I told you I was fine before, and I still am,¡± I remind him, but he¡¯s overprotective and inspects my arms and my leg where the blood stter had been.


    ¡°You could have gotten hurt.¡± His tone turns usatory.


    ¡°So could you. They were hiding in the bathroom; they could have surprised you.¡±


    He grabs hold of my chin between his fingers and pulls me toward him. His grip is strong enough I have to take a step in his direction to keep up with my own face.


    Jakub lowers his lips to a breath length away from mine. ¡°You worried about me?¡±


    I stare into his eyes, captivated by the desire burning bright in his molten blue eyes. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡±


    His full lips spread wide. ¡°Good to know. We¡¯ll see if you think the same way after.¡±


    Before I can ask him what he means, he moves his hand around my neck up into my hair, fisting it at my scalp. I try to swat his hand away, but he¡¯s got me twisted around, facing away from him and he shoves me forward.


    For the second time today, I¡¯m frog-walked across the room. Only this time, there¡¯s no true fear bubbling in my belly.


    When we get to the bed, he shoves me over the side until my cheek is pressed into the bedding.


    ¡°Jakub. You can¡¯t do this.¡± I swing my arm behind me. Easily, he snatches it up and pins it to the small of my back.


    ¡°Seems right now I can do whatever I want.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡± I try to shove my way up with one hand but he¡¯s too strong and too determined.


    ¡°Rx, I¡¯m trying to help you.¡± He trails his hand between my legs, working his way up to my wet pussy. I squeeze my legs together. He can¡¯t see how turned on my body is right now. I have to protect what little dignity I have at the moment.


    But this isn¡¯t his first time.


    Deftly, he gets his fingers exactly where I want them but wish I didn¡¯t. Two fingers plunge into my pussy, and I freeze beneath his grip.


    ¡°Ah, see, that¡¯s what I thought.¡± He pumps his fingers in and out of me while I squeeze my eyes shut and try to will my body into obeying me and not him. But that¡¯s never worked before when it came to Jakub. And he¡¯s be more confident.


    ¡°Now that I have your attention, Nicole, I¡¯m going to give you the ground rules here.¡± He plunges both fingers in hard and deep before bending them at the knuckle and stroking the most sensitive spot in my body. I melt into the bed; all my muscles go weak.


    He¡¯s paying attention and must know he has me exactly where he wants me, because he lets my arm go.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to let me help you with this mess you¡¯re in.¡± He removes his fingers and before I canin, he rips my pajama shorts down to my knees.


    ¡°I already said I¡¯d stay here a few days,¡± I try to reason with him, but the jangling of his belt tells me it¡¯s not working.


    ¡°And while you are staying with me, you¡¯ll do what I tell you, when I tell you, and how I tell you.¡± His belt rips free of his jeans in one sharp swish sound.


    The sound not only makes my pussy clench, it gets my brain to wake the hell up. Iunch myself forward trying to scramble away from him, but he must have been prepared for it. He grabs my hips and pulls me back right where he had me.


    My body goes rigid, expecting the belt toy into me, but instead he grabs both of my wrists and works the belt around them. Around and around, he wraps it until he¡¯s able to work the end into the buckle. And like the shocked idiot I seem to be, I just lie there and let him do it.


    ¡°If I tell you you¡¯re staying in my bed, you¡¯ll stay in my bed. If I tell you to stay in the fucking hallway, you will stay in the fucking hallway.¡±


    ¡°I will. Fine. I will.¡± I try to turn over, but he ps my ass hard and pushes me back onto my belly.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You won¡¯t leave this apartment unless I say so, and if you do get to leave, you¡¯ll have someone with you at all times.¡± He presses into my ass. The hard length of his cock pushes against my ass through his jeans.


    I wiggle my feet apart, sticking my ass up higher toward him.


    ¡°You want something, Nicole?¡± he asks, bending over my body andying his weight over me.


    I snap my teeth tighter. I can¡¯t and will not ask for what I shouldn¡¯t want, what I can¡¯t have.


    ¡°Tell me you¡¯re going to be a good girl.¡± He eases his body off a little to slip his hand between us. With expert precision he finds my clit and rubs it gently in a circr motion, putting just the right amount of pressure on it to drive me from any reasonable thought.


    The sound of a zipper registers, but only once his cock is between my legs, touching the very rim of my pussy do I realize what¡¯s happened. He¡¯s so close, and I¡¯m so fucking needy.

 85

    Sex with Henry wasn¡¯t anything to crave, but just these few touches from Jakub and I¡¯m ready to take everything he offers. Even if it is just for tonight.


    ¡°Tell me, Nicole. Say, I¡¯ll be a good girl for you.¡± His cock thrusts forward, breaking through my entrance but not inside yet. Not filling me the way I know he can fill me.


    ¡°Jakub,¡± I whine like a spoiled little girl who hasn¡¯t gotten her way. But he won¡¯t ept that, it¡¯s not enough for him.


    He abandons my clit and smacks my ass again.


    ¡°Would you rather have a spanking for being such a bad girl tonight? Promise me you¡¯ll be good, and I¡¯ll fuck you until you scream.¡±


    My toes curl into the wood. There is no real decision to be made here.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be a good girl for you, Jakub. I promise. I¡¯ll be good.¡± It¡¯s my voice, but there¡¯s such a hungerced through the words I almost don¡¯t recognize myself.


    One strong thrust and he¡¯s fully embedded in me. I cry out from the suddenness of it, from the stretch and burn. He doesn¡¯t even give me a second to catch my breath, but instead grabs my hips and fucks me with as much fever as my soul needs.


    I arch my body to better ept his thick cock. His fingertips dig into my hips as he drags me backward to meet his thrusts. There¡¯s nothing gentle about his touch. It awakens my raw hunger for him, a desire I shoved deep into the back corner of my mind over the past five years.


    ¡°Do you want toe for me?¡± he asks, moving one hand between our bodies again.


    ¡°Yes. Fuck, yes!¡± I buck my ass back at him, matching his energy and needing even more. The headboard of the bed bounces off the wall, he¡¯s fucking me so damn hard. And so damn good.


    ¡°Don¡¯t wait,e for me, Nicole. Show me you¡¯re a good girl ande for me.¡± He assaults my clit, rubbing and pinching until the lines between pleasure and pain blurpletely and my mind gets lost somewhere in between.


    Pressure builds and builds until I¡¯m sure my body won¡¯t be able to handle another second of it.


    ¡°Be my good girl,¡± he says in a deep, dark voice dragging me from the brink of sanity and tossing me into the abyss of pleasure.


    My mind nks then swirls with the implosion of sweetness that washes over my body. Wave after wave, it soaks me, drowns me, and all I want to do is fall into it even deeper.


    Slowly, it fades and I¡¯m back where I started.


    ¡°So good,¡± Jakub whispers as he thrusts twice more and pulls free of my body.


    I look over my shoulder at him in time to see his hand wrapped around his thick shaft, jerking and jerking his cock until thick ropes of cum spurt out onto my bare ass and back.


    I should feel dirty. All of this should be shameful.


    Instead, I smile at him.


    When he returns to me, he lifts his gaze to mine and gives me an arrogant grin.


    ¡°Stay put.¡± He points a finger at me then yanks up his jeans again.


    I fall forward onto the bed, as his cum rests on my bare skin. When he steps out of the bathroom, a small towel in his hand, he winks at me.


    ¡°I should have grabbed a condom,¡± he says as he cleans off the mess he made on me. Once he¡¯s done, he works the belt off my wrists, being gentle now that the intensity of the moment has passed.


    I push up to my feet and pull up my pajama shorts.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I mean, yeah we should have used one, but I have the imnt and I just had a physical.¡±


    He reaches out and runs his thumb along my bottom lip.


    ¡°I¡¯m clean, too, but I should have been more careful.¡± He drops his hand away, like he¡¯s just realized we aren¡¯t together anymore. This isn¡¯t a permanent thing.


    ¡°Next time.¡± He winks.


    I grab the dirty towel from the bed and bring it to the hamper I noticed in the bathroom. When I get back, he¡¯s all zipped up and holding the door open for me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s watch a movie. It¡¯s too early for bed.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that sounds good.¡± I cross the bedroom, ignoring the discarded belt on the bed.


    He grabs me as I pass him and turns me to him, capturing my face between both hands.


    ¡°If you disobey me again, Nicole, you won¡¯t be screaming from an orgasm. You¡¯ll be begging me to stop the ass whooping you¡¯ll get. Do you understand me?¡±


    My throat clenches with the dark tone of his voice. ¡°I get it, Jakub.¡±


    And damn me.


    I don¡¯t hate it.


    ¡°Good.¡± He lowers his lips to mine. It¡¯s tender at first, gentle pressure. But quickly, as though he was only testing the waters of mypliance, he intensifies the kiss. His tongue sweeps past my lips, and his hands move up into my hair.


    He¡¯s not merely kissing me. He¡¯s iming me.


    And damn me.


    I don¡¯t hate that either.


    Jakub


    Nicole¡¯s staring at the coffeemaker as a fresh pot brews. She¡¯s wearing a pair of yoga pants and a long t-shirt that she has tied at her hip. Every curve of her body is on disy in the most innocent of ways, yet my cock is ready to dive into her body at the first opportunity.


    But we don¡¯t have time for that.


    And she needs to change her clothes.


    ¡°Nicole,¡± I say softly, not wanting to startle her when I enter the kitchen. I¡¯ve been up in my office for the past two hours trying to get information on the Kaczmareks¡¯ next move.


    My father and my brother are on their way over now. Despite the message I gave the shithead at Nicole¡¯s apartment, Piotr Kaczmarek went straight to my father.


    ¡°Hey.¡± She spins around with a brilliant smile. ¡°I¡¯m just getting some coffee then I¡¯m gonna change. I need to get to the club this morning to go over the schedule with Silvia again.¡±


    I frown.


    ¡°Nicole. I told you, you¡¯re not leaving this apartment. I already let Nora know you won¡¯t be in today.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Her smile wanes. I don¡¯t like being the cause of it, but her safety is more important at the moment. She¡¯lle to see it in time.


    ¡°I have a job to do, Jakub.¡± She nts her hands t on the kitchen ind that separates us, taking a battle stance.


    ¡°A job that can wait a day or two.¡± I match her re. The club is safe, but I can¡¯t be there today. And if I¡¯m not there, I don¡¯t want her there either. Not until I¡¯ve had a chance to sort out the trouble with the Kaczmareks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get paid vacation days for another four months. I need the money.¡±


    I blink hard.


    ¡°Money? You¡¯re worried about money right now?¡± Has she not been paying attention to thest twenty-four hours?


    Then again, maybe she has.


    ¡°What are you going to, Nicole? Are you going to hop on another train and head to California maybe? Michigan? Where do you think you can hide that they won¡¯t find you if they want you?¡± I lean forward across the ind, bringing my eyes level with hers.

 86

    Nicole may have been raised on the outskirts of the mafia, but she never learned how to school her expressions. She has little flickers of her lips when she¡¯s nervous, and she chews the inside of her cheek when she¡¯s trying to control her temper.


    Right now she¡¯s chewing.


    ¡°Henry just needs time to cool off. The charges will get dropped on him in New York, and he¡¯ll finally see I had nothing to do with it.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯ll just run until that happens?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not running,¡± she snaps at me.


    ¡°Then what is it?¡± I demand. We don¡¯t really have time for this argument, but I need to understand her thinking. Because from the outside it seems as though she¡¯s not thinking at all.


    Her nostrils re and her cheeks burst into a blush.


    ¡°Fuck. I don¡¯t know.¡± Her words pop out of her mouth with frustration.


    Somewhat satisfied, I ease back from the ind.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere. And you¡¯re not stepping foot in the club until I can be there with you.¡±


    She brings angry eyes up to mine.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just bark out orders, Jakub. I¡¯m not some puppy.¡±


    The image of her wearing one of those fluffy puppy tail butt plugs makes my cock hurt. If I keep this up, I¡¯m gonna mess myself.


    ¡°I sure as fuck can. When ites to your safety, you¡¯re damn right I¡¯m giving you orders.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have to follow them.¡± She shoves away from the ind, forgetting all about her coffee and rounds the ind heading full steam for the stairs to the loft.


    I grab her arm just as she reaches the stairwell and spin her back to face me.


    ¡°I killed that asshole in your apartment, Nicole. The Kaczmareks aren¡¯t happy about it.¡±


    She yanks her arm free of me, stepping backward up onto the first step. This brings her closer to my eye level, but not quite.


    ¡°I see. You want some form of payment?¡±


    ¡°Killing him put me and my family into this mess. So, until it¡¯s resolved, you aren¡¯t going anywhere. You¡¯ll stay with me, here, where I can keep an eye on you until it¡¯s all done.¡±


    She stares at me in silent anger. The wheels are spinning, but she¡¯s maintaining an even calm.


    ¡°Last night was a mistake. I shouldn¡¯t have let you touch me.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°You think because you had your dick in me, you own me, and that¡¯s not how this works.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not how what works?¡± I narrow my gaze; she¡¯s gearing up for a blowup.


    ¡°You and me. Just because I let you fuck me doesn¡¯t mean you get to give me marching orders. I¡¯m not one of your little fuck toys who will kneel and bend for you whenever you snap your fingers.¡±


    I¡¯m quick to grab her face, pinching her cheeks until she winces. It¡¯s easy to drag her forward from the steps and put her in front of me.


    ¡°Watch your mouth, Nicole. Just because I didn¡¯t whip your assst night like you deserved doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m gonna let you get away with anything else.¡±


    I push her head back until she has to look up the length of her nose to see me. Her cheeks have reddened and the anger in her eyes has melted into soft chocte.


    ¡°Now. My father and brother are on their way over here, so go upstairs and change. The only words I want to hear from you right now are ¡®Yes, Jakub. I¡¯ll be good.''¡±


    The word choice has her nostrils ring again, but her eyes go even softer. Her jaw goes ck beneath my grip.


    The woman is too easy to read.


    After several more seconds pass, I gently let go of her and take a purposeful step back. I half expect her to run up the stairs while cursing me out as she goes.


    I¡¯m close to being right.


    She does turn and jog upstairs, but she does it quietly. Just before she disappears into the bedroom, she casts a quick nce over her shoulder at me. Her cheeks are red, but even from down here I can read the arousal in her.


    * * *


    ¡°This is the girl?¡± My father points at Nicole who is walking down the stairs. She¡¯s changed from the leggings into a pair of ck capris and a soft pink blouse. A pair of ballet ts emphasizes the gentle nature she desperately tries to hide from the outside world.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I move from my spot to greet Nicole as she makes her way toward us. Her shoulders are back, and her chin is high. Good girl. She gives them no reason to believe her weak. There¡¯s a little flicker at the edge of her smile, but she gets control of it quickly.


    I take her hand and bring her to the kitchen where my father and brother stand ready to interrogate her. I¡¯ve already told them not to scare her, but by the determined res on their faces I can tell I¡¯m going to be ignored.


    ¡°Nicole, this is my father Joseph Staszek and my brother Dominik.¡±


    She slips her hand free from mine and reaches out to my father.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Mr. Staszek.¡±


    Joseph stares at her hand for a brief moment before he moves into action and shakes it. She moves on to Dominik and repeats the greeting.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, but I really wish it were under other circumstances.¡±


    Dominik moves his gaze from her to me with approval. He¡¯s always appreciated diplomatic approaches to problems. And this situation may require more than she¡¯s willing or able to give.


    ¡°Yes. We have a situation on our hands, don¡¯t we?¡± Joseph waves his hand toward the kitchen table set to his left. ¡°Should we sit?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that bad?¡± I ask. Serious conversations require sit-downs.


    He frowns. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. Piotr Kaczmarek called for a meeting. We are going to meet with him this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°We as in all of us?¡± Nicole asks. She hides it well, but I can still hear the slight tremor in her tone.


    ¡°No,¡± I answer. ¡°We as in us three. You will be here.¡±


    ¡°Under lock and key.¡± She shes me her annoyance. ¡°I remember.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nod sincerely. If she thinks she¡¯s going to enlist any help from my father or brother on her behalf, she¡¯s going to be sorely mistaken.


    ¡°Before we meet with them, I need to know what happened.¡± Joseph turns his attention to Nicole. ¡°And why.¡±


    ¡°Two of his men were inside her apartment. They tried to kidnap her, and I stopped them,¡± I exin for the second time. I already ryed all of this to my father when I spoke to him on the phone.


    ¡°Why are they looking for you?¡± Dominik points his question at Nicole.


    Steady and sure, she exins. ¡°Henry got picked up on a drug charge. I had nothing to do with it, but he¡¯s probably told them I did. I broke up with Henry, but he doesn¡¯t exactly take no for an answer. They wouldn¡¯t be looking for me just because I left him; if they¡¯re helping him find me it¡¯s because he¡¯s told them I have something to do with his arrest.¡± She raises her chin another fraction. ¡°And I don¡¯t.¡±


    They take in her story and remain quiet for a long moment.


    Finally, my father walks over to the table and pulls out a kitchen chair. Once he sinks into it, he rests his elbow on the table and takes a few slow breaths.


    ¡°Okay. So, this Henry is just a hired hand? He has no real position?¡±


    ¡°Not that I know of.¡± Nicole nces at me. ¡°He worked like my dad, loyal but not blood.¡±


    Joseph nods then rubs his forehead.


    ¡°You okay?¡± I ask, taking a step toward him. His color seems to be fading again.


    He waves a hand at me. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just tired of all this bullshit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Staszek. I never meant for Jakub to be involved in anything.¡± Nicole goes to my father and ces a gentle hand on his shoulder. He looks up at her then pats her hand.


    ¡°I know. My sons have a habit of getting into shit without realizing it until it¡¯s toote.¡±


    ¡°What the hell does that mean?¡± I ask Dominik.


    He shakes his head with a frown.


    ¡°It appears Micah fucked up a trade deal his father was making with the Kaczmareks.¡±


    ¡°What? How?¡±


    Dominik nces toward Nicole, like he¡¯s not sure we should be having this conversation with her there. I fold my arms over my chest. She might as well know considering whatever it is seems to be affecting how we deal with the Kaczmareks now.


    ¡°After he saved Lena, the deal was broken,¡± Dominik answers.


    ¡°You never told me they nned to give Lena to the Kaczmareks.¡± I step toward him. My little sister should have been better protected. I should have been around her more when she was handed off to the damn Ivanovs.


    Dominik shakes his head. ¡°She wasn¡¯t. But after all that mess, the deal was cut off. The Kaczmareks were cut out of the deal. They¡¯re not happy about it.¡±


    ¡°Then they can take it out on Micah, not us.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Micah is us.¡± My father raises his voice. His face reddens. ¡°He is your sister¡¯s husband, he¡¯s part of this family. We protect our own. If they go after him, they go after us. And right now, with what you did yesterday, they now have two reasons to go after us.¡±


    Nicole¡¯s shoulders slump. She pulls the chair out from the table beside my father and sinks into it.


    ¡°Maybe it would be easier if you handed me over to Piotr. I¡¯ve never met him, but I have met his cousin, Christian, in New York.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard Christian isn¡¯t exactly reasonable,¡± Dominik says.


    She looks up at him. ¡°He¡¯s not. But maybe Piotr is better?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to talk to Piotr Kaczmarek. You aren¡¯t even going to be seen by him.¡± I won¡¯t even tolerate the thought of having her in the same room as that bastard. The Kaczmarek family isn¡¯t known for their respectability. What they can¡¯t buy or barter, they steal. And when they can¡¯t do that, they kill.


    There¡¯s always danger and violence in our world, but the Kaczmarek family is on a different level. They have no souls.


    ¡°Jakub, it¡¯s my fault you had to shoot that jerk yesterday. I don¡¯t want any more blood on my hands.¡±


    I step over to her. ¡°Listen to me.¡± I cup her chin and pull her attention up to me. ¡°There is no blood on your hands.¡±


    ¡°Jakub¡¯s right. If that asshole was in your apartment, it¡¯s his own fault,¡± Dominik backs me up.


    ¡°Let her breathe, for God¡¯s sake.¡± My father pushes his foot into my leg. I drop my hand from Nicole¡¯s chin, satisfied she isn¡¯t going to argue about turning herself over to the Kaczmareks again.


    ¡°We¡¯ll meet with them. See what they want. Maybe we can make a deal that makes us all happy and puts this bullshit behind us,¡± my father says and pushes up from the chair. Just from the movement, he seems momentarily winded, but it passes.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he says and points to the door.


    ¡°You stay here. Do you understand, Nicole? Right here in this apartment,¡± I say, keeping my voice down as my father and brother head for the door. It¡¯s not like they haven¡¯t given the same orders before, but Nicole doesn¡¯t need them overhearing us.


    ¡°I understand,¡± she says, moving up to her feet. ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere until the big bad Staszek family says so.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the tone.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like your arrogance,¡± she shoots back at me, looking entirely too confident for a woman two words away from getting her ass smacked.


    ¡°There are men downstairs; if you try to leave, they¡¯ll stop you and call me. And if they call me-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll make me wish they hadn¡¯t. I know.¡± She pats my chest and throws on a sarcastic grin.


    I stare at her a long moment. She¡¯s saying the right words, but her sudden eptance throws off red gs.


    ¡°Jakub, chodzmy!¡± my father calls me as the elevator opens up for him.


    ¡°Be here when I get back.¡± I point a finger at her and step backward until I have her agreement.


    I get in the elevator and watch her still as the doors slide closed, taking her from my sight.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± Dominik says.


    I tense.


    ¡°If you had told Kasia to stay put, would she?¡± I ask, not bothering got look over my shoulder.


    I sense his muscles knotting up.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± I say, checking my watch for the time. The faster we get this meeting over with the sooner I can get back here.

 87

    Nicole


    ¡°Nicole.¡± Nora rushes into my office and closes the door behind her. I look up from myputer where I¡¯m sending off another email to a local food blogger with an invitation to opening night of the new restaurant. Nora¡¯s face is flushed, and her chest is heaving.


    ¡°Were you running from someone?¡± I ask with a small chuckle.


    ¡°No, but you might want to,¡± she urges in a hushed tone.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I click on another email to read a response from another blogger.


    ¡°Jakub.¡± The one name that can get my insides fired up, but in this case, it sends a chilled shiver through me.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    I check the clock on theputer screen. I¡¯ve only been here half an hour. It took me fifteen minutes to get out of the apartment without his men seeing me-thank you, fire escape. It was another twenty-minute Uber drive to the club. There¡¯s no way he¡¯s finished with his meeting yet.


    ¡°What about him?¡± I try to keep my voice steady, but even I hear the little rise.


    ¡°He¡¯s here.¡±


    My fingers freeze over the keyboard.


    ¡°And since he was adamant you would not be in today or tomorrow and you weren¡¯t to be bothered, I figured maybe you should know he¡¯s here before he sees that you¡¯re here, because I get the very distinct feeling you¡¯re not supposed to be here.¡±


    I move my gaze from myputer screen over to her.


    ¡°Are you panicking?¡± I ask her, because I¡¯m the one who should be, but I have an eerie calm about me. If I stay in my office, he won¡¯t see me and by the time he gets back to the apartment I¡¯ll either be there or I won¡¯t, and he can yell at me when I do.


    ¡°No.¡± She pushes off my door andposes herself. ¡°But his father and brother are with him-and two other men as well. I haven¡¯t seen them before, but they look just as mean and angry as Jakub and Dominik.¡±


    Those would probably be the Kaczmareks.


    Fuck.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll just stay in here. He won¡¯t see me,¡± I assure her and turn back to myputer. ¡°It will be fine, Nora.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to tell me what¡¯s going on?¡± she asks gently.


    ¡°If I understood what was happening I would,¡± I sigh.


    ¡°Well, when you figure it out, I¡¯m here if you need.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Nora.¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t let him know I knew you were here. I don¡¯t want to deal with a pissy Jakub.¡± She rolls her eyes and slips back out my door.


    I turn back to myputer with the full intention of answering a few emails then checking on Silvia before I sneak out of the club before Jakub finds me.


    ¡°Well, if you would have found her, this wouldn¡¯t be a fucking problem. She¡¯s a stupid woman, how could she get the better of you?¡±


    My fingers freeze over the keyboard as the voice outside my office door hits me. It¡¯s Henry.


    Why would Henry be here?


    Whoever he was talking to doesn¡¯t answer back. Curling my fingers away from the keyboard, I sit back, waiting to hear if he continues talking.


    After several minutes tick by in silence, I ease myself up from my chair and creep to the door. I crack it open enough to see down the hallway toward Jakub¡¯s office. Completely empty.


    I just need to know why Henry¡¯s here. If he was pinched for drugs in New York, he shouldn¡¯t be able to leave the city. Well, if he was an ordinary person anyway. But he¡¯s not. He¡¯s tied to the most powerful Polish Mafia families in New York. He probably didn¡¯t even have to pay bail.


    With careful steps I make my way down to Jakub¡¯s office. If he¡¯s meeting with the Kaczmareks, shouldn¡¯t they have men outside the door? It works in my favor that they don¡¯t, but I would think they¡¯d want privacy during this meeting.


    Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I press myself up to the door and try to listen in.


    But I hear nothing. All this damn sound dampening in the business offices to keep the club noise out is getting in the way of my eavesdropping. Other than some low murmurs I can¡¯t hear a damn thing.


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing?¡±


    My heart skids to a stop. Henry.


    I turn around to face him, throwing on as brilliant a smile I can muster.


    ¡°Hey, Henry.¡± I swallow around the ball of panic in my throat. ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    Looking at him now, standing in front of me with so much shock and rage, I wonder how I could have ever even given him a chance. His ck hair is slicked back with a heavy dose of gel, making him look as though he hasn¡¯t showered in a few weeks. And by his overdose of cologne, maybe I¡¯m right.


    I never should have given in to my dad. I should have been stronger and put my foot down.


    ¡°Better question is what are you doing here?¡± His pearl-shaped eyes narrow in on me and his lips curl around his teeth.


    ¡°Henry, I know you think I had something to do with you getting arrested, but I swear I didn¡¯t.¡±


    At his sides, his hands ball into fists.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll see what Piotr says.¡± He grabs hold of my arm and spins toward the door. ¡°You can¡¯t hear as good out here, so let¡¯s go inside.¡± He shoves the door open and pushes me into the office.


    Jakub gets up from his chair at the sudden invasion into his office. Joseph and Dominik are sitting on either side of him; both look up to see the disturbance. Dominik¡¯s lips twitch a little on the side, and Joseph¡¯s eyes go wide.


    But Jakub.


    His reaction sends ice through my chest.


    ¡°What the fuck.¡± Jakub turns his cold re on Henry.


    ¡°She was outside. Since this is about her, I figured we¡¯d include her.¡± Henry shuts the door behind us.


    Jakub keeps his gaze away from me as he moves away from the table. Arge man, who I assume is Piotr Kaczmarek, gets up from the table as well. I¡¯ve met Piotr¡¯s cousin back in New York, and this man looks nothing like his cousin. Christian Kaczmarek looks like he just stepped off a muscle man magazine cover. Piotr looks like someone who should subscribe. His hair is long and pulled back into a thin ponytail behind his neck. I can¡¯t tell if the scars on his face are from injury or e.


    ¡°Henry, I told you we¡¯d figure this out without her.¡±


    ¡°She was right outside the door,¡± Henry defends himself in a nasal tone.

 88

    ¡°Nicole. I¡¯m Piotr Kaczmarek.¡± Piotr steps toward me with his hand out in greeting. I flick a quick glimpse at Jakub who gives me a curt nod, while still not looking at me.


    I take Piotr¡¯s hand and he closes his thin, chilled fingers around mine.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to meet you, Mr. Kaczmarek,¡± I say, lowering my gaze a bit to give a show of respect. My father worked for his family for as long as I can remember; to be disrespectful now would cause more damage than good.


    ¡°I understand your father worked for my cousin in New York.¡± He drops my hand after a gentle squeeze.


    ¡°Yes. He worked for you here in Chicago before,¡± I remind him. ¡°Not directly. I mean, he worked¡­¡± I let my words trail off. Don¡¯t answer questions I¡¯m not asked.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± He rolls his shoulders back and turns around toward Jakub. ¡°I think the terms you¡¯ve given are reasonable.¡± He marches back to the table. ¡°For now.¡±


    Joseph pushes up to his feet. ¡°And your men will stop pursuing the girl.¡±


    Henry huffs from behind me.


    ¡°Unless I find she has betrayed my family, we will leave her in your capable hands.¡± That sounds like a big ass loophole to me, but I¡¯m not dumb enough to get entangled with this conversation. By the sound of it, Henry will be leaving, and I won¡¯t have to worry about finding any more of his muscle in my apartment at night.


    ¡°Good.¡± Joseph shakes Piotr¡¯s hand and escorts him to the office door. I scoot out the way before they walk right into me, and I catch Henry¡¯s angry re waving over me as he follows his boss from the room. As his eyes sweep over me a tremor erupts in my belly. He doesn¡¯t look like the matter is resolved.


    ¡°Well, that could have gone worse.¡± Dominik gets up from the table, buttoning his suit jacket back up as he does so.


    I look to Jakub, trying to read his expression, but he¡¯s tapping on his phone.


    ¡°Jakub.¡± I take a small step in his direction. The tension in his jaw tightens, making my stop. He¡¯s not ready to hear from me just yet. That¡¯s okay, I have a few more things to do in the office. Maybe by then he¡¯ll calm down.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky,¡± Dominik continues.


    ¡°How so?¡± I ask since Jakub seems hell bent on deafening me with his silence.


    ¡°Turns out Piotr doesn¡¯t care for Henry all that much, and the guy Jakub killed was on his way out anyway. Jakub did him a favor.¡±


    ¡°Stop talking to her, you only encourage her,¡± Jakub growls as he puts his phone into his back pocket.


    ¡°Jakub-¡± I try again, but his chilling re shuts me right up. Okay, still not ready.


    ¡°The car is waiting for you up front. Dominik will walk you out. You will go home, get in the apartment, go into the bedroom, and wait for me until I get home. Do not sit in the living room. Do not go into the kitchen. Sit in the bedroom until I get there. Am I understood?¡±


    By the time he¡¯s done talking my face could light a small fire. I¡¯m not sure what to respond to first: his unreasonable dictates or his tone or the fact his brother is standing only a few feet away listening to all of it.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Nicole. I¡¯ll walk you up front.¡± Dominik makes his way to me.


    My tongue is heavy, too many words climbing on top of each other trying to get out of my mouth and stab him.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Nicole,¡± Dominik urges me softly again.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll go, maybe Jakub will calm the hell down by the time he gets there. Then maybe he¡¯ll remember he has no say in my life.¡±


    Dominik grimaces slightly as he approaches me.


    ¡°Not now, Nicole,¡± he whispers.


    ¡°Listen to him,¡± Jakub says quietly. The steadiness in his voice gets me moving. He¡¯s not shaken in the least. He¡¯s resolved.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you at the apartment then.¡±


    Dominik lets me grab my bag from my office and turn theputer off before he hurries me to the exit. The same ck sedan that took me home the other night is idling outside the front of the club.


    Once I climb in, Dominik grabs the door before I can snag it.


    ¡°You being here was dangerous,¡± he says.


    I lift my eyes up to meet his. They¡¯re blue, just like Jakub¡¯s. More silver, but just as serious.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t in any danger,¡± I say. ¡°I can take care of myself.¡±


    Dominik sighs and shakes his head.


    ¡°Being able to and having to are different. Jakub can¡¯t protect you if you do stuff like this.¡±


    I turn away from him and stare out the front window. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for his protection.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not going to stop him.¡± Dominik leans into the car to talk to the driver. ¡°Straight to Jakub¡¯s and walk her into the apartment. A man at the exit and another at the fire escape outside. She¡¯s to stay inside until Jakub gets there.¡±


    I open my mouth to argue, but Dominik turns a serious stare on me.


    ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d starting up with a defense.¡±


    He shuts the door, and the driver pulls us away before I cane up with a coherent response.


    In the end I decide to turn my thoughts to my next step. If Piotr has agreed to call off Henry, I can move forward. After Jakub calms down he¡¯ll tell me what Piotr said, and I¡¯ll have more confidence in my next move.


    If I move.


    * * *


    Jakub


    My pulse still beats in my eardrums. Nicole¡¯s already reached the apartment. I received confirmation, she¡¯s inside and there are men at all the exits.


    I should have realized she wouldn¡¯t just stay at the apartment. She had that tone, that little look about her that suggested she would do whatever the hell she wanted, and damn my instructions. I should have known.


    It¡¯s not like she¡¯s new to this world. I¡¯ve done some digging on her father. Tomas Sawicki was a low man on the totem pole, both here in Chicago and then again in New York. He was loyal to the family, but he had no aspirations about him. He kept under the radar, running his collections and busting skulls when needed. If he didn¡¯t try to take on a crew of his own, I wonder if he was trying to protect Nicole from the world he lived in. But I see her, I see how much she understands about the inner workings. If he was trying to protect her, he didn¡¯t do a very good job.


    ¡°Jakub, sit.¡± My father¡¯s back in my office and pointing at my chair. ¡°We need to talk.¡±


    I look from him to Dominik.


    ¡°Did Piotr ask for more on the way out?¡±


    My father shakes his head. ¡°No, nothing like that. He¡¯s happy enough with the liquor deal on the west side.¡± Joseph sinks into a chair with a soft groan. He¡¯s hurting, but he¡¯ll never admit it. Stubborn man. ¡°And actually, the deal works well for us anyway.¡± We¡¯re actually going to save a few bucks on the deal, but the drawback is we¡¯re stuck dealing with the Kaczmareks directly.


    ¡°What then?¡± I pull back the sharpness just in time. Joseph may be getting older, but he¡¯ll just have Dominik kick my ass if he feels it¡¯s needed. And my big brother wouldn¡¯t mind in the least, having a chance to remind me once again I¡¯m second. That I¡¯m on the outside.


    ¡°This girl. Nicole.¡± He arches his back and wiggles himself into a better position on the chair. ¡°You¡¯re sure she¡¯s not behind the trouble back in New York?¡±


    ¡°Nicole wouldn¡¯t talk to the cops.¡± I don¡¯t hesitate a moment to back her up. ¡°Her father¡¯s job was to take care of guys who stepped out of line, who talked when they weren¡¯t supposed to. She wouldn¡¯t do that.¡±


    Joseph nods. He didn¡¯t doubt her; the question feels more like a test for me than an inquiry into her loyalty.


    ¡°The Kaczmareks did a lot for her when her father died. Helped her.¡±


    ¡°I know that. And so does she. But she never took an oath. She didn¡¯t need to stay in New York and be with that asshole just because he couldn¡¯t take no for an answer,¡± I point out. So long as Nicole is no threat, her walking away should mean nothing to anyone back in New York. Or Chicago.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Dominik pipes up, taking the seat beside my father. They¡¯re on one side of the desk staring at me together.


    ¡°I understand you want to protect her.¡± Joseph folds his hands in front of him and levels me with a fatherly look. The same he would use when I was a child, and he was about to lecture me about grades or watching after Lena more. ¡°But there¡¯s only so much we can do. She¡¯s not our family.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck does that mean?¡± My chest fills with anger at the implication of his words.


    ¡°It means, we can¡¯t go into a war with the Kaczmareks because you want to get your dick wet,¡± Dominik adds.


    I tuck my bottom lip between my teeth. Throwing my fist into his face would make my entire day brighter.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that,¡± I say, although I¡¯m not really sure what it is.


    ¡°Whatever it is, the same applies. The Kaczmareks have a longer arm then we do,¡± my father reminds me. We have no family presence in New York. We¡¯ve built our empire here in Chicago. Going to war with the Kaczmareks could bring us all down.


    ¡°You want me to cut her loose?¡± I ask, but I won¡¯t do it. I won¡¯t throw her to the wolves.


    ¡°You have a decision.¡± Joseph points a shaky finger at me. ¡°We can¡¯t give her the full protection of our family unless she¡¯s part of our family.¡±


    Realization of what he¡¯s talking about hits me. My arms feel heavy, my heart slows.


    ¡°Marriage? You want to use this situation to force me into a marriage?¡±


    Joseph raises his brow. ¡°I¡¯m not forcing you, Jakub. It¡¯s your decision. If you want Nicole to be safely tucked under our family name, she must have it.¡±


    I stare at him momentarily surprised, but I shouldn¡¯t be. The man has been on a warpath to get me down the altar for months.


    ¡°She won¡¯t agree.¡±


    He shrugs. ¡°Then she¡¯ll have to understand while you can offer her as much protection as you¡¯d like, if the Kaczmareks decide they want further discussion, I won¡¯t be making any more deals on her behalf. They are her problem. Not ours.¡±


    Everything they say is true. Her connection is the Kaczmarek family. They¡¯ve employed her father and given her aid when she needed it.


    Without the family having our backs, she¡¯s vulnerable.


    I stare at them both in silence. She¡¯s never going to say yes. It will be a fight from the very mention of the subject until I get her down the aisle.


    But it¡¯s a fight she¡¯s going to lose.


    For her own safety.


    Her own protection.


    I will drag her into my life, my family, and my marriage bed kicking and screaming if I have to.

 89

    Nicole


    It¡¯s dark outside by the time Jakub gets back to the apartment. I¡¯m in the kitchen making a sandwich when the elevator doors open, and he walks in. I tense, knowing he¡¯s going to be in a bad mood, and me being in the kitchen is only going to make it worse. But it¡¯s been hours and I¡¯m hungry.


    And, screw him.


    I¡¯m grateful for the help he¡¯s given me, but I¡¯m not going to bend the knee for him. I¡¯d rather be on my own then squashed beneath anyone¡¯s thumb.


    When he enters the kitchen area, I¡¯m screwing the lid on the mayo jar. He heaves a heavy sigh then drops his keys on the kitchen ind on his way to the refrigerator behind me. The door opens then closes and then a beer bottle cap is tossed on the countertop near me.


    When I look up at him, he¡¯s turned away, walking toward therge industrial windows overlooking the street below. He puts one hand on his hip while bringing the beer up to his lips with the other.


    He¡¯s wearing a light blue button-down shirt tucked neatly into his ck cks. The custom fit of his clothing gives me a clear view of his lean muscr physique. A part of me wants to go to him, to wrap my arms around his waist and hug him, to help alleviate the tension building in his back.


    ¡°I was hungry,¡± I say as I slice the knife through my sandwich, cutting it corner to corner.


    ¡°I was clear on where you were to wait.¡± He sounds distant, tired.


    ¡°You were gone a long time.¡± I quietly ce the knife down beside my te. The ham sandwich no longer looks appetizing.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I ask when he only shakes his head and takes another sip of his beer. ¡°You can¡¯t be surprised to find me down here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± He turns to me, his lips fixed in a deep frown.


    ¡°What happened after I left?¡± He¡¯s looking entirely too serious for a man who¡¯s a little irritated by me not sitting in a damn bedroom waiting on him.


    He moves back to the ind and puts his beer on the counter. ¡°You¡¯re not going to like it.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    My jaw tenses. ¡°Did Henrye back?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing like that.¡± He slides closer to me. ¡°But he might. He didn¡¯t exactly look so happy about you working for me. Piotr said it looked bad, made Henry think you nned everything so you could run back here.¡±


    ¡°Henry doesn¡¯t know you and I have any history.¡± Henry doesn¡¯t know the first thing about me. I was nothing but a possession to him.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what he knows. What matters is what he thinks he knows. What Piotr thinks he knows.¡±


    I lean my hip against the counter. ¡°I have no ties with them. I¡¯ve never worked for them and I owe them nothing. Why don¡¯t they just leave me alone?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but the fact remains you¡¯re still not out of the woods yet.¡±


    I blow out a hard breath.


    ¡°So, in order to keep you safe. In order to make sure you can have the full protection of the Staszek family.¡± He slips his hand beneath my hair, cupping my cheek. ¡°You and I have to get married.¡±


    My first instinct is tough. The second reaction is to pull away, but he¡¯s got a good grip on me.


    ¡°No. Absolutely not. You¡¯re insane.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a question, Nicole. My father won¡¯t intervene on your behalf a second time unless you¡¯re my wife.¡±


    I shove his hand away and step away from him. ¡°Fine. I don¡¯t need the protection of your family. I¡¯ll just go. I can head to Wisconsin or Michigan. Or California. I don¡¯t have to stay in Chicago.¡±


    ¡°If Henry wants you, he¡¯ll find you. Running away changes nothing.¡±


    ¡°But if I¡¯m married to you, it will?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re married to me then he¡¯ll be put on a leash.¡±


    ¡°Look.¡± I shove my hands through my hair and pull it up off my neck. It¡¯s too hot in here. ¡°This isn¡¯t your problem. Or your father¡¯s. I¡¯ll go and then you won¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±


    He grabs my elbow when I try to leave and yanks me back to him. The anger I saw in him at the club has returned, twofold. His lips are pressed together in a thin line, his eyes darkened to nearly ck. ¡°It is my problem, Nicole. Do you really think I could just let you wander off not knowing if you¡¯re safe?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m releasing you from any duty you seem to feel. I¡¯m fine on my own.¡±


    He grips me harder. ¡°You¡¯re not understanding. I¡¯ve already told my father it¡¯s being done.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°Done?¡± I yank free, stumbling back a step. ¡°What¡¯s done?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow. A judge ising, and we¡¯ll be married.¡±


    I blink. ¡°I won¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice.¡±


    ¡°How can I not have a choice? It¡¯s my life!¡± I yell at him. Everything is spiraling out of my control and no matter how much I grab for it, everything spins further away.


    ¡°Do you think your father would want you to spend the rest of it running away from the very people he was so loyal to?¡±


    ¡°My father¡­¡± I stop talking because I know he¡¯s right. He pushed for me to date Henry in the first ce because he wanted me to find a safe ce in the world. Misguided as it was, he was trying to protect me.


    ¡°My father isn¡¯t here now,¡± I remind him, but I can¡¯t help but remember thete nights, the horrible dreams my father had because of the work he did for the Kaczmarek family. He did it to provide for me, to give me a better chance.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure he¡¯d want me to marry into another family.¡± It¡¯sme and untrue. My father would probably jump for joy to hear the second son of a powerful family wanted to marry me.


    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit. There¡¯s no bad blood between my family and the Kaczmareks.¡± He takes a step toward me, his eyes turning more into a predator¡¯s gaze. ¡°And if you marry me, if you let me protect you with my name, that remains the same. If you don¡¯t and there¡¯s trouble between you and them, I¡¯ll still protect you, but it will be at the cost of war.¡±


    My shoulders droop, the fight rushes out of me. He¡¯s right. Any action Jakub takes against them could end in bloodshed.


    He moves to me, brushing my hair from my face and cing a soft kiss to my cheek. ¡°It¡¯s not bad with us, Nicole. You could do worse than me.¡± He pulls back and gives me a tense grin.


    ¡°So much for a romantic marriage proposal.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a proposal. You¡¯ll marry me tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Marriage is such a final solution to a temporary problem,¡± I say.


    He lifts a shoulder. ¡°When the temporary problem goes away, we can talk.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t really want me, not for a life together, not because he loves me. He only wants to help, and if he¡¯s open to a temporary situation, it might work.


    ¡°Okay. So, when the danger is over, we agree to stop this mess.¡± I gesture between our bodies.


    He frowns. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re a mess.¡± He grabs my chin between his fingers and tilts my head back. ¡°So, it¡¯s settled.¡±


    Nothing feels settled. My stomach swirls into knots, my heart has turned into a jackhammer against my ribs, and my mind is lost in a dense fog unable to show me a better path to take.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll marry you.¡± I put up a finger between us. ¡°Just until the danger¡¯s gone.¡±


    He cracks an arrogant grin. ¡°Good. Now.¡± He moves his hand to my hair so quickly, I barely register it happened. With a fluid motion he spins me around and presses me down over the kitchen ind.


    I have to put my hands out to stop my face from hitting the countertop. Pushing up gets me nowhere, he¡¯s holding me steady while he works his fingers into the stic of my pajama shorts.


    ¡°Jakub! What are you doing?¡± I yell, swinging my arms behind me trying to get a hit to his face, or an arm. Anything that might get him to let up on me.


    ¡°Twice you disobeyed me today. Did you think I wouldn¡¯t punish you for it?¡± His voice deepens and my shorts are ripped down my legs. If I had known this was going to happen, I would have bothered to put panties on after my shower.


    ¡°Jakub. I¡¯m not a child. You can¡¯t just do this.¡± I shove harder to get up, but he¡¯s too strong, and I¡¯m practically dangling over the side of the ind. I scramble my feet, trying to find leverage, but my toes barely scrape across the tiles.


    ¡°You sure as hell acted like a child today.¡± The jangle of his belt buckle captures my entire attention, and I scramble harder to get away. Another sound, the whoosh of leather against the loops of his trousers, has me frozen.


    ¡°Jakub,¡± I say softly. Maybe I can appeal to his protective nature. ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt. You said you don¡¯t want me hurt,¡± I remind him, seeing as that¡¯s his entire argument for me to marry him.


    ¡°Damn right this is going to hurt,¡± he says just before a fire lights across my ass cheeks.


    I cry out but it¡¯s more from the shock of it. Thest time he spanked me, he had eased me into it. A light spanking, then harder, faster, but now he¡¯s going right into it.


    ¡°Stop!¡± I yell and swing my legs as the next blownds. I scissor my legs, and the next swat hits the inside of my thigh, making me howl.


    ¡°When I tell you to stay somewhere, Nicole, you stay.¡± He hits my leg with his hip until I close them again, then brings the belt down again and again and again until I¡¯m a blubbering mess.


    ¡°Please. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry.¡± I can barely breathe well enough to apologize.


    He brings the belt down once more then everything stills. Other than my pathetic little sobs, there¡¯s silence.


    Jakub carefully helps me back to my feet and then upright until I¡¯m facing him. The belt is still in his hand as he wipes away the tears running down my cheeks.


    ¡°You spanked me,¡± I use him when my breath gets back in line with the rest of my body.


    He grins. ¡°I did. And I¡¯ll do it again if you put yourself in danger. I¡¯ll do it every time,¡± he amends, because he knows me well enough to know this won¡¯t be thest time.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t like it.¡± I drag the back of my hands across my cheeks. There¡¯s a lightness to my chest that wasn¡¯t there before, but I don¡¯t know why. My ass is on fire, my cheeks burn from humiliation, and here I am wishing he¡¯d wrap his arms around me and hold me tight.


    Then he goes and does just that. He pulls me to his chest and hugs me, resting his chin on my head.


    ¡°When you spread your legs, I saw how wet your pussy is right now, Nicole.¡± He taunts me with my body¡¯s betrayal.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I liked it.¡±


    ¡°No, but it means your body reacts to it. This was a small punishment; you¡¯re not supposed to like it. If this wasn¡¯t a punishment, I¡¯d be licking up all those juices. I¡¯d be giving you so much fucking pleasure you¡¯d be screaming and crying for another reason.¡± He moves his hips forward and the hard length of his cock presses into me.


    My pussy clenches. He¡¯s not wrong. My body has reacted, and I want his cock inside me. I want everything he¡¯s teasing me with.


    I pull back from him, reaching up on my toes to capture his mouth in a kiss. He cups my face, reciprocating my movements, but he goes further. It turns into a mark of possession, the strength and power he gives as he deepens the kiss. I¡¯ve never wanted anyone as badly as I want this man right now.


    Abruptly, he pulls back.


    ¡°But it was a punishment, Nicole. That means you go straight to bed, no touching your pretty little pussy.¡± He spins me around gently and pats my sore ass. ¡°I¡¯ll be up in a minute.¡±


    I take a step forward, and a fog of desire and denial wraps around me as I move up the stairs and to the bedroom, doing exactly as he says because I don¡¯t want another round of his belt, and more important, I don¡¯t want to feel so much desire for his touch only to be denied.


    Once I¡¯m in bed, the nkets pulled up to my chin, the cloud of arousal diminishes, and I realize two things.


    One, I¡¯m going to be Mrs. Jakub Staszek tomorrow.


    And two, I forgot my sandwich down in the kitchen.

 90

    My cock aches just looking at Nicole lying on the bed, belly side down and the faint pink of her ass framed by the sheets that have sunk just below her cheeks. It¡¯s early, barely morning, but I¡¯m wide awake.


    I need to get across town to meet with Dominik. Even pushed to the edge of the family business, I¡¯m required to tag along now and then. But not even a cold shower is going to get my mind away from what I really want.


    Climbing onto the bed, I grab her hips and pull her toward me, then flip her to her back.


    Her dark eyes fly open the moment she¡¯s on her back. She goes straight into fight mode, kicking her legs and trying to sit up.


    ¡°Shhh, it¡¯s just me,¡± I assure her, pushing her gently back to the bed by her shoulders.


    She blinks up at me, surprise in her sleepy eyes. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asks, wiping her hand across her face, pulling her feet up to her ass.


    I grab hold of her knees and shove them down to the mattress. Spreading her pretty legs, her sweet pussy is exposed to my hungry eyes. I run my tongue over my lips, already salivating over the meal before me.


    ¡°I¡¯m showing you what good girls can have.¡± I settle between her legs and trail my fingertips down from her knees to her pussy. Her slit is already slick, probably from her arousalst night. Sending her to bed without release punished us both, but it was necessary. I can¡¯t have her thinking she¡¯ll get a solid fucking when she¡¯s been bad.


    As much as I love when my girl ys naughty, I won¡¯t allow her disobedience toe between us.


    Not even if our marriage is to be temporary.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t y with yourselfst night, did you?¡± I ask, wrapping one hand around my cock, stroking slowly. It¡¯s a needed relief but it¡¯s also making it harder not to plow straight into her. Her pussy lips part and herplete arousal is evident with her juices.


    ¡°No,¡± she answers me, scooting her ass toward me. The girl is as hungry as I am. Good.


    With the fat of my thumb, I put pressure on her clit, rubbing it in circles. She closes her eyes and rolls her head to the side.


    ¡°Nuh uh, let me see you. Eyes on me, Nicole.¡± I pause my touch until she obeys. And she follows my instructions immediately while I hold her pleasure in my hand.


    Good to know. Although I remember how good she was at following directions in the past. We didn¡¯t see much of each other outside of bed, but when I had her naked and writhing beneath me, she was the sweetest girl.


    Her pupils push her brown irises out of the way and the very corner of her mouth is tucked between her teeth.


    ¡°Tell me what you want, Nicole.¡± Pushing the fat head of my cock past her entrance, I hold still. Fuck-she feels so fucking good. Her pussy grips me, the heat and wetness of her passage calls to me. I could plow forward, take what I want, and leave her wanting. I could do that; she¡¯ll be my wife soon and it would be my right as her husband to take what I wanted.


    And if she was another woman, maybe I could do it. But she¡¯s not another woman. She¡¯s Nicole.


    And she was a good girl after her spanking. She deserves a reward.


    ¡°Tell me.¡± I rip her shirt up to her throat, exposing her perfectly pert tits, her nipples already hard for me.


    ¡°I want you.¡± She reaches down, grabbing my hips and trying to pull me forward.


    I still myself and stare into her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t control this, Nicole. Not this time. I¡¯m giving you a reward; if you¡¯re not going to be a good girl and take it then we can stop.¡± It¡¯s an empty threat, but she doesn¡¯t know that. There¡¯s no fucking way I¡¯m pulling out of her fucking cunt right now.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    She drops her hands from my hips and presses them to my chest instead.


    ¡°Fuck me, Jakub. Please.¡± She smiles with feigned innocence.


    ¡°Say pretty please,¡± I inch forward, clenching my teeth at the torment I¡¯m self-inflicting.


    Her eyes roll, but then return to me. ¡°Pretty please, Jakub.¡±


    In one heavy thrust, I¡¯m fully inside of her. Before any logical thought can line up in my head, I pull back and plow forward again. And again.


    ¡°Jakub!¡± Her nails dig into my bare pecs, but I don¡¯t stop. Can¡¯t stop.


    I thrust forward, pivoting my hips as I fuck her deeper and harder. Her mouth, her pretty full lips drop open as she gasps for breath. The burn in my chest from her nails only drives me further into the heat of my desires.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I growl and lean forward far enough to take her pert, darkened nipple into my mouth, between my teeth. She sucks in a sharp breath as I bite down on the little nub.


    ¡°Oh, God!¡± she cries out and pulls her knees upward, making her pussy so much tighter. Her slick juices coat my cock as I fuck her harder. I can¡¯t get enough of her; I need to be inside, all the way inside of her body. Not just her pussy, but her mind, her heart, her everything.


    I move to her other breast, sucking her nipple into my mouth until she¡¯s groaning again and arching her body. My thrusts ease into a rhythm as she spreads her legs wide, not only epting me but beckoning me into her.


    Nipping my way from her tits to her neck, I lick at the vein in her throat that¡¯s pulsating with her heartbeat. Strong and persistent. Just like her.


    When I reach her mouth, I nudge her lips, teasing her. But it¡¯s only a precursor to what I do when I finally capture her mouth beneath my own. I fuck her harder, so hard her ass shifts upward on the mattress. Kissing her this way, taking possession with such an animalistic marking fuels my entire body to have herpletely.


    Mine. Nicole will be mine.


    She won¡¯t stop it.


    ¡°Oh, God!¡± she gasps when I pull back from the kiss and reach between our bodies. I find her clit with my thumb and stroke her gently as I continue to assault her sweet pussy with my fat cock. I want her sore, I want her remembering this iming with every step she takes today. I want her to remember this as she promises her heart to me in front of witnesses. I want every movement to remind her I own her body, and after she speaks her vows, I¡¯ll own the rest of her too.


    ¡°Feel good?¡± I tease, swiveling my hips and plowing into her again. Her head moves back, exposing her throat to my mouth. I bite my way down to her chest again.


    Tension builds in my balls. I can¡¯t wait. I can¡¯t hold back.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, baby, take it all. Take your reward. Promise me you¡¯ll be my good girl. Promise me.¡±


    She brings her dark eyes back to me, her lips puffy and red from our kiss.


    ¡°I promise.¡± She grabs my face. ¡°I¡¯ll be your good girl. I promise.¡±


    ¡°Come with me, Nicole. Come with me.¡± I flick her swollen, wet clit with my thumb, edging her to the cliff that I¡¯m already dangling from.


    My balls pull tight, my belly twists. Her pussy is too tight, too sweet to leave me with much control.


    ¡°Ah! Ah! Oh, fuck!¡± she screams, tossing her head to the side as her body unravels beneath me. Her pussy creams all over my cock as I slide in and out with feverish movements. She mps her legs around my hips, still crying out with each wave of her orgasm.


    ¡°Nicole! Nicole!¡± I cry out just before I explode inside of her. Each pulsation of my release sshes my seed into her cunt. I thrust once more before the waves pull me under and I can only swim beneath the waves.


    Slowly aires back to my lungs and I look down at the gorgeous girl beneath me. Her smile is back, but it¡¯s anything but innocent. I lean down, kissing her gently before slowly pulling free of her pussy.


    Immediately, she starts to roll to the side, but I catch her hips and put her on her back.


    ¡°No. Stay.¡± I shake my head, sucking in a slow breath. A thin veil of sweat covers my forehead.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t use a condom,¡± she says, trying again to get up.


    ¡°I said stay,¡± I tell her, giving her ass a quick p before pulling her back down.


    She turns her eyes on me, panic running through her expression. I shake my head at her and pat her leg.


    ¡°Come take a shower with me.¡± I back off the bed to my feet then yank her ankle until she¡¯s at the edge of the bed. She¡¯sughing when I pluck her up to standing.


    ¡°A shower this early?¡± she chides me, gesturing to the window. The sun is barely casting a pink hue across the skyline.


    ¡°I have a meeting,¡± I tell her.


    ¡°Am I allowed to work today, or are you still being a caveman about that?¡± She works her shirt off as I turn the water in the shower on.


    ¡°You have a meeting this afternoon, too.¡± I tap her hip and open the shower door for her.


    ¡°What meeting?¡±


    ¡°With me and a judge. Then dinner at my dad¡¯s ce.¡±


    Her smile drops a fraction. I think she¡¯s forgotten what today is.


    ¡°It¡¯s your wedding day, Nicole.¡±

 91

    Nicole


    It¡¯s my wedding day.


    Not that I ever really pictured my wedding day; a girl like me doesn¡¯t dream about those sorts of things. We think more along the lines of where our next apartment will be. Will our dade home from his business meeting with cuts and bruises, or worse, will he note home at all? But on the asions I did dare to think about my future, I didn¡¯t exactly think I¡¯d be standing in the office of Joseph Staszek¡¯s house with a judge peering down at me and my fiance.


    Marrying anyone with real power never entered my mind. I figured I¡¯d get my degree, get some job in a cubicle, and try to stay under the radar. I think it scared my father how much I wanted to get away from the way he lived. Outside in the world where he couldn¡¯t protect me, it scared him. Which is probably why he had the misguided thinking of setting me up with Henry.


    And just as I thought I was getting away from underbosses and captains and enforcers, I find myself standing beside the second son of a powerful Chicago crime family.


    I suppose my father would be happy. Jakub will be able to protect me, like he always wanted for me. His family name will keep me safe, and I doubt I¡¯ll be heating up ramen for my dinner anytime soon.


    ¡°Nicole, do you take Jakub to be yourwful wedded husband? To have and to hold in sickness and in health from this day forward?¡± The judge intrudes into my thoughts.


    I look from him to Jakub. Dressed in a ck tailored suit, his hair neatly brushed back and styled and his clean-shaven face, he looks so professional. So pure.


    But the tenderness between my legs reminds me he is anything but.


    ¡°I do,¡± I say before too much time passes.


    The judge continues with vows and another monologue about the strength of marriage before he gets to the part that makes my mouth dry.


    Obey.


    When I nce at Jakub his serious expression cracks at the edges; the man is fighting back an arrogant grin. He put that vow in there on purpose. Obey hasn¡¯t been put in modern vows in years. Jakub had to have added it in on his own.


    Joseph clears his throat from where he sits a few feet from us. Beside him are the rest of the Staszek family. Dominik and his wife, who I only met a few minutes before the ceremony. And on his other side sits Lena and her husband-who I have not met at all.


    I¡¯m getting married in front of a bunch of strangers and now he wants to humiliate me with this vow.


    Just as I¡¯m going to argue, Jakub inclines his head and gives the tiniest of shakes. His family might not have seen it, but I have, and I know exactly what it means.


    Argue with him now and I¡¯ll find myself bent over another piece of furniture getting my ass tanned.


    Reminding myself this entire situation is only temporary, and I can tear off his ear once we¡¯re alone, I go forward with repeating the vows. He doesn¡¯t fight his smile anymore, letting it blossom across his face and brightening up the room.


    Within a matter of minutes, the entire thing is over. I have a heavy ring on my finger, and my name is being changed right before my eyes. Another signature, and it¡¯s allplete.


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re invited to stay for dinner.¡± Joseph passes by me and Jakub and offers his hand to the judge.


    Jakub brushes a lone strand of hair from my face and tucks it behind my ear. Jakub had Nora take me to Macy¡¯s, along with a very obvious bodyguard, to find something suitable to wear tonight. Luckily, I found a white slip-on dress and a pair of strappy sandals that worked fine. She also stayed with me the rest of the afternoon, helping to curl and pin up my hair with beaded pins.


    All in all, I cleaned up pretty well. It¡¯s a shame Nora wasn¡¯t able toe tonight. At least I¡¯d have a friendly face at the dinner table.


    ¡°You all right?¡± Jakub asks, running the back of his hand along my jaw.


    I take in a deep breath. ¡°Of course.¡± I nce over at his sister who seems ready to jump out of her skin if her husband doesn¡¯t let her get closer to us. ¡°I don¡¯t know anyone here.¡±


    He nods. ¡°It will be fine. We won¡¯t stay too long,¡± he promises and links his hand through mine and leans into my ear. ¡°Besides, I have ns for my bride when we get home.¡±


    The heat of his breath dancing over my exposed ear sends a shiver down my body, but his words sets my insides on fire.


    ¡°Nicole.¡± Lena lunges for me as soon as I step away from the judge who is still giving his excuses to Joseph of why he can¡¯t stay. ¡°Hi.¡±


    ¡°Lena.¡± Jakub says her name sharply, but she easily waves him off.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lena, of course,¡± she says and offers her hand. ¡°I wish I¡¯d been told all of this was going on.¡± She pauses to give Jakub a re. ¡°I would have been able to meet you before now. I could have helped you.¡±


    ¡°Helped me?¡± I ask, unsure of what she means.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She leans in with an angelic smile. ¡°I could have helped you escape this crazy man.¡±


    I can¡¯t help butugh at the suggestion. Escape Jakub? I think I¡¯d have an easier time getting out of Alcatraz.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you wanted,¡± she adds when Jakub inserts his nosey face between ours.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have helped her any more than I was able to help you, little sister.¡± He taps her nose with his forefinger. ¡°Now, get back to your husband before his teeth break with all that clenching he¡¯s doing.¡±


    Lena nces over her shoulder at the broad-shouldered Russian standing behind her. His features instantly soften when her smile hits his gaze.


    ¡°He¡¯s just hungry,¡± she teases and turns to him, ttening her hand on his chest. ¡°Let¡¯s get to the dining room so we can get a good seat.¡±


    ¡°What good seat, it¡¯s just us,¡± her husband says, though he follows her.


    ¡°The seat near the basket of bread. I¡¯m hungry, too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Micah Ivanov?¡± I ask, still watching the two disappear from the room.

 92

    ¡°Yes. How do you know him?¡± A tinge of usation colors his question.


    I turn back to him, holding the small bouquet of flowers Nora was able to procure for me between us.


    ¡°He¡¯s the head of the Ivanov family, Jakub. How would I not know who he was?¡±


    He frowns at me. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I like you knowing as much as you do.¡±


    I lift a shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s toote on that front. Besides. Just because I know who people are doesn¡¯t mean I know anything about them. Dad used to talk about people, but never with any details.¡± My heart sinks when I think of my father. It would have been nice to have him here. To have him walk me down the aisle, re down Jakub, make a few threats of what he¡¯d do to him if he hurt me.


    But things don¡¯t go that way for me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry your dad isn¡¯t here,¡± Jakub says, touching my arm. It¡¯s unnerving how easily he can see into my mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Jakub¡¯s eyes narrow, like he¡¯s about tounch into a lecture about honesty or something simr.


    ¡°Should we go to the dining room, too?¡± I gesture toward the double doors of Joseph¡¯s office.


    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go. The sooner we eat, the sooner we can get out of here.¡±


    As we enter the dining room, Dominik escorts his wife to a seat at the end of the long dining table that¡¯s been decorated with white lilies and roses with light blue paint on the edges. It¡¯s simple in design, but beautiful nheless. Lena and Micah are already seated at the other end of the table, leaving two seats for Jakub and myself.


    Jakub holds out my chair for me, though his stern expression reminds me of a little boy being forced into using his manners. I take my seat, cing the small bouquet in front of my ce setting.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I mutter as he takes the seat beside me. All we need now is Joseph to take the seat at the head of the table and we can get this fiasco over with.


    All of this theater is nauseating. No one here believes Jakub and I are happy about this arrangement. They can¡¯t possibly believe this is anything other than a business deal waiting to blow up in all of our faces.


    ¡°Thank you, all, foring tonight. I know it was all veryst minute,¡± I say to his family while we wait for Joseph to finish talking up the judge and see him out.


    ¡°Nothing new for this family,¡± Lena says, tipping her winess in my direction before taking a long sip.


    ¡°Do you have to start?¡± Dominik says across the table, settling a heated re on his little sister.


    ¡°She¡¯s only saying the truth. Leave it be.¡± Kasia, Dominik¡¯s wife, pats her husband¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Yeah, Dominik, leave me be,¡± Lena teases.


    I can¡¯t help but smile over the sweet banter of these siblings. They¡¯re grown adults, all with power of their own in this city that I could only have dreamed of as a child, but here they sit teasing each other as though they are in grade school. It has a certain sweetness to it I missed growing up as an only child.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s taken care of.¡± Joseph enters the dining room with a loud p of his hands. ¡°The judge sends his regrets,¡± he says to Jakub as Joseph sinks into the chair. As soon as he¡¯s settled a coughing fit takes over and it¡¯s several seconds before he catches his breath. He waves off Jakub who¡¯s leaning toward him.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look fine,¡± Jakub retorts. ¡°You should see someone, that cough isn¡¯t getting better.¡±


    ¡°Enough about my cough. Let¡¯s eat and celebrate your nuptials to this gorgeous youngdy.¡± Joseph casts a wide smile in my direction. For a moment I can almost let myself believe the warmth of his statement, but it¡¯s not real. I have to make sure I continue to understand. This is temporary. These people are not my family. And Jakub will let me go as soon as it¡¯s safe.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Staszek. For everything. It¡¯s all been very nice.¡± I say to him, and I mean it. Even if it is just pretend, it was nice to have.


    ¡°Do you see?¡± Joseph points at me while giving a stern look at his children. ¡°Finally, someone in this family knows gratitude.¡±


    I sit back in my chair, my face heating.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him get started,¡± Jakub says, reaching for a basket of bread rolls in front of him.


    The conversation falls into afortable banter between them all, leaving me to eat my meal in peace. Joseph¡¯s housekeeper has put out a delicious spread for us. I stuff a forkful of potato dumplings into my mouth when I¡¯m pulled into the conversation again.


    ¡°Jakub told us about your father, Nicole. I¡¯m so sorry to hear,¡± Lena says to me, brushing her shoulder against mine.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I say.


    ¡°Do you have any other family?¡± Lena asks, stabbing a piece of ham from her te.


    ¡°Lena.¡± Micah nudges her.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± I take a small sip of my Pinot Grigio. ¡°My mother died when I was in fifth grade. It¡¯s just been me and Dad since then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Kasia says. ¡°Was she ill?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shake my head, moving my gaze downward. It¡¯s not my shame, yet still every time I repeat it somehow, I sense it inside me. ¡°She was an addict. She overdosed while I was at ser practice after school.¡± I take a muchrger gulp of my wine.


    Jakub tenses beside me. Maybe he¡¯s just realizing there is so much we don¡¯t know about each other.


    ¡°Oh, God.¡± Kasia frowns. ¡°My mother died suddenly as well when I was young. I¡¯m so sorry you went through that.¡±


    After another sip, I put my ss down and dive back into my food. ¡°Thank you. It was hard, but Dad was good. He took good care of me.¡±


    Jakub¡¯s knuckles casually graze over mine as our hands rest on the tabletop.


    Dominik turns the conversation again and I push my te away. I¡¯m tired and no longer hungry.


    ¡°Are you ready to go home?¡± Jakub whispers in my ear then pecks my cheek.


    ¡°Won¡¯t it be rude to leave so early? They haven¡¯t even had dessert yet.¡± Not that I could stomach any more sweetness. It¡¯s all been very much, and I would like to crawl into bed.


    By the look in Jakub¡¯s eyes, I think he¡¯s thinking the same thing. But for very different reasons.


    ¡°It¡¯s our party. We can leave when I say.¡± He pulls away from me and gets to his feet. ¡°We¡¯re going to head out. Nicole¡¯s had a long day and¡­¡± He pauses. ¡°Well, I want to leave.¡±


    Dominik smirks, but quickly hides it behind his ss.


    Josephughs. ¡°Yes. Go. It¡¯s your wedding night.¡± He winks in my direction. My face mes.


    Before I can give a proper goodbye, Jakub pulls me from the dining room.


    ¡°Jakub, that was sort of rude, don¡¯t you think?¡± I say as we walk down the front steps toward his car.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really care.¡± He pulls his keys out and hits the fob to unlock the door.


    ¡°It¡¯s not even thatte.¡± I say, climbing into the passenger side of the car. He holds the door open and peers in at me.


    ¡°It will be by the time I¡¯m done with you, wife.¡± He winks then shuts the door.


    What in the world have I gotten myself into?

 93

    ¡°Get out of that dress,¡± Jakub orders the moment we step off the elevator at home.


    I spin around to him, tugging at the skirt of the gown. ¡°It¡¯s full of buttons and hooks. I think you¡¯ll have to help.¡±


    He stalks toward me, his hands loose at his sides, his eyes dark and focused on me. His tie was discarded in the car, and his top button is open. Each step is calcted and firm.


    ¡°Jakub.¡± Iugh, picking up the skirt and rushing for the stairs. ¡°Give me a minute.¡±


    His footsteps are heavy behind me. ¡°Not even home for a second and already you¡¯re disobeying me.¡± He¡¯s right behind me as I hurry into the bedroom.


    I turn toward the door, a bubble ofughter fresh in my chest.


    It all dies away when I see him standing in the doorway. He¡¯s lost his jacket somewhere along the way, his shirt sleeves are unbuttoned, but his eyes. My breath hitches when my gaze locks with his. A fire, white-med heat, burns in his eyes, and my body heats with it.


    ¡°You behaved so well at my father¡¯s home,¡± he says, stepping inside the bedroom and kicking the door closed. The loud bang of it makes me jump.


    ¡°You have a nice family,¡± I say softly. ¡°It¡¯s not like I went into this unwillingly.¡± Well, maybe a little.


    By the time he makes his way to me, my heart bangs against my ribs. In quick order he plucks out all the pins from my hair and tosses them to the floor. He grabs hold of my shoulders and spins me around, quickly working open the hooks and buttons of the dress and shoving it down my body until it¡¯s pooled at my feet.


    ¡°There.¡± He pulls me back to face him. I¡¯m a rag doll in his hands, but it¡¯s the way he looks at me that makes my head spin. It¡¯s as though he wants to climb inside of me, and not just his cock, but his entire being wants to be close to me. Inside of me in more ways than just sex.


    For a moment, I¡¯m swept up in it. But it onlysts a breath before he unhooks my bra and shoves the straps over my shoulders.


    ¡°I like you this way, Nicole.¡± He runs his hand over my hair. ¡°Wild and free. You were gorgeous tonight all pinned up and pretty, but this, when you¡¯re in your natural form, this makes my blood heat.¡± He raises his hand to my throat, slowly closing his fingers around me until my breathing isn¡¯t as easy.


    ¡°I like this, too.¡± He shuffles closer. His shoes are probably on top of my dress. ¡°Having you in my grasp, at my mercy. Will I let you breathe, or won¡¯t I?¡± He squeezes a little more. At this point, I should be terrified. Tears of panic should be falling from my eyes, but I¡¯ve never felt safer. More alive.


    ¡°Do you like this, Nicole? Being under my control?¡± He brings his lips down, gently brushing his mouth over mine. ¡°Being mine?¡± He kisses me again. ¡°Because that¡¯s what you are now. Mine.¡± His knee shuffles between my legs.


    ¡°Yes, Jakub,¡± I say, ites out rough because his grip has tightened. Soon my air will be cut off; he could hurt me like this if he wanted.


    But he won¡¯t.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± He releases my throat and presses his lips to mine in a fevered moment that leaves me breathless and wanting and craving.


    He takes a step back from me and quickly gets out of his clothing until he matches my nakedness. A ck tattoo winds up his left arm and over his shoulder, dragging my eyes across his muscr chest and down his tight abs.


    While I¡¯m staring at him, he grabs my wrists and pulls them over my head until I have to move up to my toes.


    ¡°I want you bound,¡± he says, walking me backward until my back hits the square post of the bed. ¡°Stay put.¡±


    I keep my hands exactly as he¡¯s positioned me while he digs out a pair of cuffs from the top drawer of his dresser.


    ¡°Do you always have those on hand?¡± I ask as he carries them back to me, swinging from his finger.


    He grins. ¡°I moved a few things around, so I don¡¯t have to go too far to get them.¡± He presses his body against me while he works the cuffs around my wrists. They¡¯re soft leather with a thinyer of fur on the inside. Overall, prettyfortable.


    But I should know better than to underestimate Jakub. He pulls the cuffs up higher until I ampletely on my toes. I hear a click before he steps back. When I look up to see what he¡¯s done, I see there¡¯s a hook in the wood. It¡¯s a dark metal so it blends in well with the stain of the bedpost. The metal chain linking the cuffs has been secured in the hook.


    ¡°Do you remember when I tied you to my bed? When I made you beg for me to let youe?¡± His voice is raw, stressed.


    ¡°I do.¡± It may have been years ago, but my body remembers every sensation as though it happened only yesterday.


    ¡°You¡¯re not allowed toe tonight until I give you permission. Is that clear?¡± He brushes his knuckles over my breasts, over my pert nipples, sending hot flushes across my entire body.


    ¡°Yes, Jakub.¡± I lick at my lips. All of my panting has dried them.


    He moves down to his knees in front of me and my stomach trembles in anticipation. One leg, then my other, he pulls them up from the floor and puts them over his shoulders, burying his face between my thighs. The binds on my wrists tug, but the majority of my weight rests on his shoulders. He¡¯s holding me up, pinned against the post while he positions himself in front of my pussy.


    His hot breath washes over my already wet, already wanting sex. But still, when his tongue touches my clit, my body tightens. Using two fingers, he pulls my pussy lips apart and sweeps his tongue through my slit, sucking my clit into his mouth when he reaches it.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I pant. One leg slips from his shoulder, and I find enough purchase on my toes to keep myself steady as he moves his tongue into a rhythmic dance. I¡¯m not going tost this way; I¡¯m going to explode.


    ¡°Jakub. Please. Jakub.¡± I push my hips toward him, beckoning him for more.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± he orders me, biting down on my clit and thrusting two fingers into my pussy. I could light the room with the electricity running through my veins at his touch.


    His tongue dances over my clit, flicking and sucking it until I throw my head back gasping for air. I¡¯m not going to be able to hold in the tsunami barreling down on me with his administrations.


    ¡°Please, Jakub. Please let mee.¡± I know what he wants, and he can have it. I won¡¯t forgo the barrage of pleasureing my way to save a little face. I¡¯ll beg. I¡¯ll plead. I¡¯ll do almost anything to get his permission.


    With a little twist of his fingers, he bends them inside of me, finding the secret button that makes my mind nk.


    ¡°Please!¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± he says, halfughing. I¡¯m trying to breathe through the pleasure building, trying to find something that will keep me from disobeying him.


    Suddenly, the finger coaxing me into a pleasure-filled utopia leaves my pussy and slides up between my ass cheeks until it¡¯s pressed against my asshole. Everything tightens, and I jerk my gaze down to Jakub. He¡¯s smiling up at me.


    The arrogant bastard.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I demand.


    ¡°Exactly what I want to do,¡± he assures me, putting more pressure on my tight muscles.


    I squeeze myself closed.


    ¡°Now, that will only make it harder on yourself, Nicole.¡± He licks his lips, which glimmer from my pussy juices.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never done that before,¡± I confess in the hopes he¡¯ll wait for another day. Not today, not on our wedding day.


    ¡°Fitting then, don¡¯t you think, that your husband would take your virginity on your wedding night?¡± A short thrust has his fingertip inside of my asshole.


    ¡°You can¡¯t¡­ you can¡¯t fuck me there, Jakub.¡± I shake my head. It¡¯s not something I¡¯ve tried, but I¡¯m not ignorant either. It won¡¯t be easy the first time.


    ¡°Rx, Nicole.¡± He leans forward and ces a soft kiss to my belly, just above the triangle of neatly trimmed hair. ¡°Just my finger tonight. You¡¯lle with my finger inside your ass and my cock in your pussy.¡± He shrugs off my other leg and moves up to his feet. For a brief moment, his finger leaves me, but quickly he wraps his arm around my waist and he¡¯s back to his original spot-pressing against my asshole.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can.¡± It¡¯s a lie. The moment it leaves my lips I know it¡¯s a lie. And by the way he arches his brow, he knows it, too.


    ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll just have to work harder.¡± He uses his knee to push my legs apart, making me struggle to stay on my toes and relieve the tug of the binds. The fat head of his cock easily glides into my cunt and the immediate fullness has me sighing.


    ¡°You like this? Bound and fucked?¡± His whispered question washes over my face as he slowly thrusts into my pussy. With his free hand, he grabs my chin, forcing me to look directly at him. ¡°Answer me, wife.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I like this,¡± I answer. I¡¯m no hero. I¡¯ll say what he wants if it will make him fuck me harder.


    He grins down at me. It¡¯s like he can see through me right to the very core of my thoughts. He knows what I want and how best to give it to me. It would be annoying if I wasn¡¯t benefiting so strongly from it.


    ¡°Faster, Jakub,¡± I say, keeping my eyes locked on his.


    ¡°Harder, too?¡± he asks, pushing his finger further into my ass. The intrusion burns, stretches me, but it does more than that. The rest of my body is more awake, more sensitive to his touch. His chest brushes against my nipples as his thick cock strokes me from inside and it brings me back to the edge.


    ¡°Yes, Jakub.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°How do good girls ask?¡± he teases, thrusting harder into my pussy while shoving his finger fully into my ass.


    I cry out from the strangeness of it, but soon it¡¯s another assault on my senses. Just as I adjust to the feeling, he thrusts a second finger past my tight muscles.


    ¡°Oh, fuck.¡± I want to roll my head to the side, but he¡¯s holding my chin in ce.


    ¡°How do good girls ask, Nicole? Get it right, or you won¡¯t get toe. And if youe without permission, you¡¯ll be punished before I let you down from your binds.¡±


    If his threat was meant to scare me, he got it all wrong. More than ever, my body is on fire for him.


    ¡°Please, Jakub. Please, can Ie for you? Please?¡± His pupils have taken over his irisespletely, and his cock jerks inside of me.


    I got it right, I think.


    ¡°Such a good girl.¡± He bites down on his lower lip and thrusts upward into me, grinding his hips until my clit feels as good as the rest of my body with his movements. I roll my eyes then close them, riding the wave of sweet torment as he continues to fuck me against the post.


    ¡°Please, please,¡± I gasp out my pleas.


    ¡°Yes, Nicole. Come for me.¡± He jerks my chin down, my eyes fly open just before his mouth crashes down over mine taking away thest breath I held onto. Again, he swivels his hips, plows his fingers harder into my asshole while fucking me harder with his cock.


    It¡¯s too much, it¡¯s not enough, but it¡¯s plenty. My mind spirals out of control. I kiss him back as though my very next heartbeat depends on his touch.


    ¡°Good girl, Nicole. Good girl,¡± he growls against my mouth.


    He bites down on my bottom lip and the pinch of it, the smallest bit of pain sends my body rocketing out of itself.


    I scream as the storm within me unleashes. I yell his name. I cry out for God. I beg for more, and he delivers.


    It¡¯s only after long moments pass that my brain clears, and I can look at him while registering where and who I am.


    And there¡¯s his arrogant smile again.


    ¡°There you are.¡± He brushes his lips across mine, slipping his finger from my ass. ¡°Are you ready?¡± he asks, while grabbing my legs and wrapping them around his hips.


    ¡°Yes, Jakub. Fuck me,¡± I whisper, stretching my neck until I¡¯m able to kiss him with as much fever as he did me. When my teeth scrape over his lip, he growls.


    He¡¯s a man possessed. I¡¯m sure my back will be bruised and scraped from the way he¡¯s pounding into me, but I don¡¯t care. Watching this. Watching him lose hisposure this way because of me leaves me only wanting to see more of it.


    He catches my gaze and holds it in a fierce grip. One thrust, then another before he stills. Releasing an animalistic roar, he finds his own release. His cock pulsates inside my pussy, and his hot cum fills me.


    It¡¯s a long moment before his head falls forward, his forehead presses against mine. Our heavy breathing mingles between us. The scent of sex and sweat fills the space.


    He presses a kiss to my forehead and gently puts my feet back on the floor. As soon as his cock slips from my body, his seed spills onto my thighs.


    ¡°Hold still,¡± he orders in a tired voice. With expertise he unbinds me and brings my hands in front of me. He tosses the cuffs to the floor and rubs my wrists. ¡°Your hands are a little red, are they okay? You feel them all right?¡± he asks, concern wrinkles his brow.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Jakub. I¡¯m perfect.¡± I kiss his cheek.


    He brings his gaze up to mine, surprise in his eyes. ¡°Then get in bed,¡± he orders me, stepping back. ¡°I¡¯m gonna get a towel.¡± And with that, he disappears into the attached bathroom.


    When he returns, he¡¯s not holding anything.


    ¡°Did you forget the towel?¡± I ask him while I climb into bed. It¡¯s not even veryte, but my body is worn out. It¡¯s been a long day and going to sleep isn¡¯t such a bad idea.


    ¡°No. I washed up.¡±


    ¡°But.¡± I wave my hand over my body beneath the nkets.


    He¡¯s put on his boxers when he climbs onto the bed beside me.


    On top of the covers.


    ¡°Never wash away my cum.¡± He kisses my cheek then climbs back off.


    I roll my eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s awfully caveman of you.¡±


    He grabs his trousers and pulls them on.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen anything yet,¡± he says with a yful wink.


    ¡°Are you noting to bed?¡±


    ¡°I have a few calls to make. Rest up.¡± He half climbs onto the bed and presses a warm kiss against my lips. It¡¯s tender and simple, but the possession is there all the same. Jakub doesn¡¯t need to make a fuss to show his power. It¡¯s just part of who he is. ¡°You¡¯ll need your energy for the next round.¡±


    He throws me a sexy grin as he leaves the room, closing the door softly behind him.


    I stare at it, blinking a few times.


    Next round.


    Next round with my husband.


    I blink a few more times before I remind myself. This isn¡¯t real. This is not forever. This is just temporary.


    Right?

 94

    Jakub


    It¡¯s been a week since we exchanged vows at my father¡¯s home. Seven nights that I¡¯ve gone to bed after having a mind-blowing orgasm. Nicole is as voracious and delicious as I remember her being, and now she¡¯s all mine.


    ¡°Hey, boss.¡± Marcin enters my office, making sure to close the door behind him once inside.


    ¡°Marcin. What did you find out?¡± I ask right after our greeting. I¡¯ve known Marcin since we were in school together. His father and mine worked side by side for much of their lives, making Marcin as much family as my own blood. After his father was killed during a drop gone bad years ago, Marcin came to work for me.


    ¡°You were right.¡± He rubs the back of his neck. A drop of sweat rolls down his temple, a testament to the humidity outside. ¡°Henry didn¡¯t go back to New York. Just like you thought, he¡¯s still in Chicago.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s the prick up to?¡± After seeing the way Henry sized Nicole up after thest meeting, I put Marcin on his trail. Piotr assured us Henry would be on the first flight home, but I wasn¡¯t willing to bet Nicole¡¯s safety on it.


    ¡°He¡¯s been hanging around the bars, drinking himself stupid. Talking more trash than his ass can back up, but he¡¯s doing it on Kaczmarek territory so he¡¯s safe.¡±


    ¡°Of course. He wouldn¡¯t open his fucking mouth around us.¡±


    ¡°You want me to keep following him?¡± Marcin asks, and I can see the hope in his eyes to be let off the detail.


    ¡°Have someone follow him; you can stop babysitting him. But I want eyes on him, Marcin. I don¡¯t want him getting a block within this club or anywhere Nicole sets foot. Understood?¡±


    He nods. ¡°Of course. He won¡¯t get near her.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°How is married life treating you?¡± he asks, his tone dipping more casually now that business is settled.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Iugh. ¡°Maybe you should look into it?¡±


    He raises his brow. ¡°Hell, no. I got plenty of time before that noose needs to tighten.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I sober a bit. ¡°I said the same thing.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s the difference between being a hired hand and the second son, huh?¡± He grins. Marcin has never envied my position, but there have been plenty of times I wondered what having freedom like his would be like.


    ¡°Yeah, I suppose so.¡± My stomach grumbles, reminding me I haven¡¯t eaten since breakfast. It¡¯ll be dinnertime soon and I¡¯m not sure if Nicole has had anything to eat besides some appetizer from the kitchen. She¡¯s been chomping down nachos for thest few days while working in her office.


    ¡°Jakub.¡± Nora peeks her head in, sees Marcin then walks right in.


    ¡°How do you know I¡¯m not in a private meeting?¡± I question her.


    She gives me the same casual shrug as usual. ¡°If it was private you would have locked the door.¡± She grins. ¡°Bobby wants to talk with you about the build.¡±


    My jaw tenses. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s going to beg for more time.¡±


    She shakes her head. ¡°No. In fact I think he¡¯s going to finish before the scheduled date and wants to talk about pay for the crew if they finish early.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll just drag their feet if you don¡¯t,¡± Marcin adds.


    ¡°Yeah, let him in. If they can get it done before schedule, I¡¯ll give them a damn bonus. Anything to get the project rolling. The sooner the opening happens the sooner things will calm down around here.¡±


    Nora¡¯s lips spread into a knowing grin. ¡°You mean, the sooner your wife won¡¯t be tied down with so much work.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start.¡± I shoot her a chastising re, which she just ignores.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send him in.¡± She wiggles her fingers at me on her way out.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°Hey, Nora,¡± I call before she disappears. ¡°Call over to Somsri¡¯s and make a reservation for seven.¡±


    She narrows her eyes. ¡°You hate Thai.¡±


    ¡°Just make the reservations.¡± I wave her away. ¡°And send Bobby in.¡±


    ¡°Will do,¡± she says.


    ¡°Thai?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch it, Marcin.¡± I point to him and march to my desk.


    ¡°I can¡¯t remember thest time you dared to eat somewhere that wasn¡¯t your choice,¡± he continues, disregarding my directive.


    ¡°I can¡¯t remember thest time I gave a shit about your opinion,¡± I throw back at him.


    Heughs. ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll leave. I¡¯ll get eyes on Henry and report back to you anything I hear.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry. Nora said you guys were done.¡± Bobby, the foreman on the construction project, enters the office.


    ¡°Yeah, we are.¡± Marcin walks past him and closes the door on his way out.


    ¡°So. Nora says you¡¯re ahead of schedule. That¡¯s good.¡± I sink into my chair.


    ¡°Yeah. Instead of four weeks, we¡¯ll be done in two,¡± he says, but there¡¯s a hesitation.


    ¡°Our contract says you get paid for the whole thing even if you finish early,¡± I remind him. ¡°So that¡¯s not the issue, right?¡±


    He steps closer to my desk, his hands flex at his sides. His hair is matted down from thebination of sweat and the hardhat he wears for his work. Dirt streaks his cheeks and his arms. His boots are discolored from paint, concrete, and whatever other mediums he uses on a daily basis.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not a problem.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then what is it?¡± I ask, giving him my full attention.


    ¡°Piotr Kaczmarek has offered a new contract.¡± He drops the information on me with the right amount of hesitation. The union Bobby works for belongs to us. We dictate what jobs they take and redirect them when projects be more profitable to employ other crews.


    ¡°Oh. And what did Piotr offer?¡± I force my tone to even out. My father doesn¡¯t know anything about this, otherwise he¡¯d be banging down my door to get ahead of it. For once, I have intel he and my brother don¡¯t.


    ¡°One and half of yours.¡± He doesn¡¯t sound like he¡¯s happy with the offer though. ¡°Look, Mr. Staszek. I couldn¡¯t care less where I take my men to get work. If we work here or on the west side, it doesn¡¯t mean anything to me, but I don¡¯t want to put them in a middle of any bullshit that could get them hurt.¡±


    His loyalty to his men is admirable.


    ¡°And you think taking the deal will put them in harm¡¯s way?¡± I ask. How much does this foreman know about what his union leaders are doing beneath the table?


    ¡°I think when you make a deal, you take it seriously. If that deal gets broken because someone else stepped on your toes, there could be¡­ trouble.¡±


    Smart man.


    ¡°And you want to be sure there¡¯s no trouble if you take the new project.¡±


    He shakes his head. ¡°We¡¯re just the worker bees, but we don¡¯t want the new project. We¡¯d like to stick to the original contract. I¡¯m sure the union will have their votes and do what they will, but I want you to know what¡¯s happening.¡±


    I narrow my gaze on him. He¡¯s not in charge, not with any real authority, but he¡¯s passing on this information.


    ¡°And how do you know this deal is being struck?¡±


    He shrugs. ¡°Sometimes people talk around the muscle because they think we don¡¯t have brains.¡±


    So true.


    ¡°I appreciate the information.¡± I stand up from my desk and offer him my hand. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about it too much. I¡¯m sure your crew will be working with my family for a long time.¡±


    His hand is callused and hard when it wraps around mine. With a quick shake he releases it.


    ¡°Good to hear.¡±


    After he¡¯s gone, I pick up my phone and call my brother. Whatever Kaczmarek is trying to do, we¡¯ll be ready for the move.

 95

    Nicole sits back in her chair and rubs her stomach. She¡¯s still wearing the white blouse and ck cks she wore to work. Her hair is pulled up into a high ponytail, and two silver rings dangle from her earlobes. Quite the professional, she appears to be.


    But nothing entering my mind has anything to do with work.


    ¡°Eat enough?¡± I ask, sweeping my gaze over her empty te. She ordered arge chicken pad Thai and has devoured everything but thetro decoration.


    ¡°Oh, my God, yes.¡± She grabs the ss of water in front of her te and takes arge gulp. ¡°That was so good. I missed this ce.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°They don¡¯t have good Thai food in New York?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Oh, they do, but not like this ce.¡± She grins. ¡°You didn¡¯t eat very much.¡± She gives a pointed look at my own pad Thai dish. I¡¯ve eaten the shrimp from it but left the noodles.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t all that hungry. We¡¯ll take it home and you can have it for lunch tomorrow.¡± I wave over the waiter and ask for takeout containers. ¡°You know, instead of those nachos.¡±


    She grins. ¡°I like the nachos. But yes, this would be better.¡±


    ¡°I spoke with the foreman this afternoon and it looks like they¡¯ll be wrapped up in a few weeks.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Bobby told me.¡±


    My ears perk. Bobby told her?


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you knew him.¡± How close are they? And when did she meet him? Nicole is beautiful and approachable. It doesn¡¯t surprise me she¡¯s spoken with him, but what does surprise me is how much I don¡¯t like it. Hate it, in fact.


    ¡°We¡¯ve talked a little here and there. He¡¯s usually around when I get in.¡± She sips her water. It¡¯s innocent, their chats, but still my chest tightens.


    ¡°You¡¯ve beening in with me this past week,¡± I remind her.


    She blinks a few times. ¡°Are you jealous?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious as to when you have these chats.¡± I roll my shoulders, trying to ease the tension out of my muscles.


    ¡°Well, today I talked with him while he was waiting to talk with you. Yesterday, I bumped into him when I went out for coffee.¡± She leans over the table toward me. A twinkle dances in her eyes. ¡°The day before that I saw him when I was walking in, you hadn¡¯t driven in with me, so you weren¡¯t there. It was really hot and humid that day, so he had taken off his shirt. I could see all of his muscles and man, does that guy have a set of abs on him.¡± She¡¯s teasing me. In the middle of this restaurant, she¡¯s trying to get me all riled up.


    ¡°Nicole, if I were you, I¡¯d stop now.¡± It¡¯s a warning I know she won¡¯t take. She¡¯ll see it as a challenge. How far can she push me before I reach the line? And once I¡¯m on that line, and only then, will she decide if she should push me over it or not.


    ¡°But really, you should have seen him, Jakub.¡± Her grin creeps wider. ¡°All that manly muscle, the bulging biceps, the strong forearms. And the tattoos. You know how much a girl loves a man with tattoos.¡±


    I raise an eyebrow. ¡°Thin ice, Nicole.¡±


    ¡°What? It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t still window shop. I mean this is all temporary after all.¡± Even though her tone is still light, the edge of her smile falters.


    I stop the waiter as he passes our table and hand him enough cash to cover the bill and tip.


    ¡°Window shop?¡± I ask her, pushing my chair back and getting to my feet.


    ¡°Sure. Man candy.¡± She tilts her head back to keep her eyes on me. I round the intimate table and grab hold of her hand.


    ¡°Time to go home, Nicole,¡± I say, grabbing her purse from the back of her chair and helping her to her feet.


    ¡°You really are jealous.¡± Sheughs as I open the passenger side door for her when we get to the car. I deposit her in her seat then get in my side. Traffic is light since it¡¯ster in the evening, but the humidity has barely lessened. As soon as I turn the car on, the air conditioner rushes cool air through the vents.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t pick you for the envious type.¡± She adjusts herself in her seat, getting morefortable as I maneuver the car through the city streets.


    ¡°Envy would imply I want what someone else has,¡± I correct her. The softness of her perfume fills the car. I¡¯ve already memorized the scent, and my body reacts to it immediately. ¡°And since you¡¯re mine, I can¡¯t really feel envious.¡±


    ¡°Yours for now,¡± she says, but again there¡¯s a tinge of bitterness in her tone. It¡¯s a subject I¡¯ve stayed away from. Letting her think this is all just for show; that she¡¯ll be married to me only until the danger has passed. It was a mistake. One I¡¯ll have to rectify soon.


    I park the car behind the warehouse in my usual spot. She¡¯s quiet when I open her door, but I can see the yfulness is still alive in her eyes. Sliding my fingers through hers, I lead her through the back entrance of the warehouse to the elevator leading us up to our apartment.


    It¡¯s quiet at this time of night. The workers have all gone home and other than the extra security I¡¯ve ordered, it¡¯s empty.


    Once we step off the elevator into the apartment, I take the takeout container from Nicole and ce it on the first end table wee to.


    ¡°Now that we¡¯re home, maybe you can tell me again about this window shopping you¡¯ve been doing?¡± I ask, holding her hand tightly so she can¡¯t take off running. She likes being chased. It¡¯s a little game we¡¯ve yed, but I¡¯m not chasing tonight.


    Tonight, I¡¯m taking.


    Tonight, I¡¯m teaching.


    Her dark eyes take their time meeting mine and when they finally do, they¡¯re wide. There¡¯s a fresh blush on her cheeks, and her pupils have overtaken the brown of her eyes. But it¡¯s the little bite of the corner of her lip that makes my cock push harder against my zipper.


    ¡°You were saying?¡± I bring my free hand up to her face, cradling her cheek in my palm. She¡¯s so warm, so gentle yet so fierce.


    ¡°I was only teasing, Jakub.¡± The lightness is gone, reced by arousal.


    ¡°Were you?¡± I move my hand along her jaw, to the back of her neck and wrap her ponytail around my hand. Yanking her head back, I¡¯m rewarded with a sharp gasp. It¡¯s like music to my fucking ears. ¡°I believe you called it: Man candy?¡± I release her hand and move to unbuckle my belt. The blush intensifies on her cheeks, spreading up to her ears.


    ¡°I would never cheat on you, Jakub.¡± It¡¯s meant to be reassuring, but I already know she won¡¯t. Nicole has a fierce loyalty built into her, probably taught to her by her father.


    ¡°Even though this isn¡¯t real?¡± I ask. I¡¯m taunting her now.


    She stammers a bit, not sure how to answer. ¡°It¡¯s real for now,¡± she says with a firm resolve. For now. Two words I¡¯m going to erase from her fucking vocabry soon.


    ¡°You thought teasing me was a good idea at the restaurant. But now that we¡¯re home, you¡¯re not so brave.¡± I lead her to the couch by her hair, and like the good girl she is, she doesn¡¯t fight me.


    Once we¡¯re at the couch, I shove her over the back of it until her ass is high in the air. She scrambles to touch the floor, but the back of the couch is too high to allow her to do anything other than dangle over the end.


    ¡°Ah, this won¡¯t do.¡± I move behind her, pinning her with my pelvis as I reach beneath her body. After I work the button and zipper open of her pants, I grab the waistline, being sure to hook my fingers around the stic of her panties at the same time. With one quick tug, I have her ass bared to me.


    ¡°Such a sweet sight.¡± I trail my fingertips along the top of her ass cheeks, where two deep dimples reside on either side of her spine. Nicole has never been one of those girls who skips meals to fit into thetest fashion trend, and her plump ass cheeks show it. I cup one, feeling the weight, enjoying the curvature and smoothness of it in my palm.


    ¡°Jakub.¡± Her voice is muffled from dangling halfway upside down and the back of the couch digging into her stomach.


    ¡°Quiet.¡± I smack her ass. My eyes roll upward at the delicious wave of her ass bouncing from the impact. ¡°I¡¯m teaching you a lesson about teasing.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want a lesson.¡± She wiggles her hands in front of each other and pushes off the cushions enough to look over her shoulder back at me. ¡°I just want you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but you were all about teasing at the restaurant.¡± I tsk my tongue. ¡°Lesson first.¡± I move to her side, wrapping my arm around her hip and pulling her against my body. Between my weight on her back and pinning her to my hip, she¡¯spletely immobilized.

 96

    Forgoing my original thought of belting her, I raise my hand. I want the feel of her body against my palm. I want to see the ripples of her ample curves. In a quick strike, I spank her left ass cheek.


    She sucks in air and I deliver another then another. It takes half a dozen smacks until I get what I¡¯m looking for.


    A musical yelp escapes her when I move my target lower, hitting the sweet spot where her ass and thighs meet. If this were a punishment, I¡¯d focus on this spot until I knew she¡¯d feel it every time she sat down. But this is just a lesson, so I move my aim up higher.


    Over and over again I smack her ass, not sparing a single inch of her beautiful creamy skin. Only once a dark pink blush covers her entire ass do I lessen the spanks.


    She¡¯s not even crying for me to stop. And when I smack her left thigh, the woman undoes me. She spreads her legs enough for me to see her pussy lips part. And damn if the girl isn¡¯t fucking wet for me.


    ¡°You want more, Nicole?¡± I ask, covering her heated ass with my stinging palm.


    ¡°I want you, Jakub.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want your man candy?¡± I ask, curling my fingers into her and letting my trimmed fingernails dig into her tender flesh. She hisses and raises her right foot into the air.


    ¡°No! I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm, you sure?¡± Five half-moon shaped marks mar her skin, and a sense of pride fills my chest. My mark, she¡¯ll wear them for a few days.


    ¡°Jakub, prosic,¡± she begs me. Please.


    Releasing her, I maneuver around her until I¡¯m directly behind her bright red ass. Fuck, she¡¯s gorgeous this way, well spanked andid out waiting for me. Begging me.


    With no fanfare I shove out of my pants and line the head of my cock with her pussy. So hot, so wet, I have to curl my toes to keep my resolve not to dive into her just yet.


    ¡°You want me?¡± I move forward, only allowing the very tip of my hard cock into her entrance. It¡¯s not enough. Not for me, and sure as hell not for her.


    ¡°Yes, Jakub!¡± She reaches behind herself with one hand, trying to grab me no doubt. But she hasn¡¯t finished learning her lesson yet.


    ¡°This?¡± I inch forward again, the fat head of my cock invades her, but I still before either of us have any sense of release. This lesson is killing me, but she has to learn. Teasing will never get her anywhere with me.


    ¡°Oh, my God! Please.¡± She tries to wiggle back at me, but she¡¯s still dangling over the edge of the couch. Completely at my mercy, all she can do is ept what¡¯s happening-or what¡¯s not.


    ¡°Teasing isn¡¯t so fun now, is it?¡± I ask, spreading her ass cheeks with both of my hands. Her tight asshole clenches. I¡¯m going to fuck her there soon. Very soon. For now, back to the lesson.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s not.¡± She has to put her hand back in front of her again to hold herself up on the cushion. ¡°I¡¯ll never tease again. I promise.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, you sure?¡± I inch forward a bit more and put the pad of my thumb over her asshole.


    She groans, a hungry, frustrated sound.


    ¡°You made your point!¡± She pounds her fist into the cushion.


    Iugh. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I have.¡±


    She growls, lowering her head. Good girl, she¡¯s learning.


    But I¡¯m not done with the lesson.


    Wrapping her hair around my fist again, I yank her head back until she¡¯s looking up at the reflection of us in the t screen television.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare close your eyes.¡± I tug on her hair when she tries to do just that. ¡°You watch.¡±


    Another groan.


    Not willing to punish myself any longer, I plow forward in one quick thrust until my cock ispletely buried in her pussy. The heat of her ass cheeks warms my thighs just before I pull back, almost escaping her tight sheath before I jerk forward again. The couch moves an inch with the force of my thrust, but I¡¯m not done.


    Again and again, I fuck her, tugging her hair and watching her in the TV, making sure her eyes never leave the screen. Her hands, I can make out, are fisted on the cushion.


    Her cunt squeezes around me. She¡¯s slippery and hot, making taking my time much harder.


    ¡°You want toe?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± She tries to nod, but I¡¯m holding her hair too tight.


    ¡°Then you better beg. And make it pretty,¡± I order through gritted teeth.


    I let go of her ass cheeks and slither between her body and the couch, finding the sweet swollen nub. One touch and her body stiffens beneath me.


    She¡¯s not going tost much longer. Which is good, because I currently have the patience of a virginal teenager.


    ¡°Please, Jakub. I¡¯m sorry I teased you. I¡¯ll never do it again. I promise.¡± She pulls her right leg up until her knee is resting on the couch back, making her pussy clench around me. Fuck, I¡¯m never going to make it through this.


    ¡°More, Nicole,¡± I grind out, thrusting harder into her perfect body and pinching her clit.


    ¡°Jakub¡­ I¡­ can¡¯t¡­ I have to¡­ please, let mee. Please!¡± She cries out thest bit and I can feel her orgasm barreling down on her; little tremors run through her pussy.


    My balls pull tight; the burn building in my lower belly spreads to my back, trailing up my spine.


    ¡°Come, Nicole. Do it!¡± I yell, wing at her scalp until my grip on her ponytail intensifies.


    Another thrust and another flick and she¡¯s unraveling beneath me. While she cries out my name, sucks in air, and bounces her ass toward me, my cock unleashes. Wave after wave hits me as my cum spurts into her tight little cunt.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    Moments pass by as I chase after my breath. My lungs burn. It takes several blinks before my visiones back clear.


    Slowly, I let go of Nicole¡¯s hair and help her ease her leg off the couch. My cock slips out of her, and my seed spills down her leg, droplets fall to the floor. If this was another girl, if this was just fucking, I¡¯d make her lick up the mess she¡¯s making.


    But she¡¯s not some other girl. And there¡¯s more than just fucking here. She¡¯s my wife.


    I help her to her feet and spin her to face me. Cradling her face in my hands, I kiss her. The moment my lips touch hers, my chest clenches with the electricity shooting through it. It¡¯s not enough to have her body, to possess her physical form. I want more.


    I want it all.


    When I break the kiss, she¡¯s staring up at me with wide eyes and an innocent blush on her cheeks.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asks softly, when I remain silent.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t temporary, Nicole.¡± I say to her with finality. ¡°You¡¯re never leaving me. This isn¡¯t a fake marriage. This isn¡¯t pretend. You¡¯re mine. All of you is mine.¡±


    She blinks, uncertainty crossing her features.


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you go,¡± I say into the thick tension growing between us. ¡°Ever.¡±

 97

    Nicole


    I¡¯m not letting you go. EverAll text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Jakub¡¯s words fromst night creep into my thoughts all morning while I¡¯m trying to create the invitation for the grand opening. After starting the design over for the third time, I decided to take a break and walk down the street to get a coffee.


    A storm blew through this morning, breaking the humidity enough to make the heat bearable during my walk.


    When Jakub made his statement, my mind nked. I said nothing back to him. What was I supposed to say? I only agreed to this marriage because it was to be temporary.


    My head knows I can leave. He¡¯s not like Henry; he won¡¯t send goons after me like a child denied his favorite candy bar.


    But he woulde after me.


    It¡¯s not escaping that has my head all in a spiral today. It¡¯s the fact that I¡¯m not sure I hate the idea. My hesitancy has me confused.


    A car horn sts from the intersection I¡¯m approaching as a bus pulls to a stop at the corner. The loud hissing of the hydraulics blends into the traffic noise. And while the normality of the afternoon continues to dance around me, my mind continues to swirl around the prospect of being with Jakub-forever.


    There has to be more to a rtionship than amazing sex, and so far, we¡¯ve excelled at that part. I grew up watching my father¡¯s friends go through women like clean underwear. My own father probably had plenty of girls on the side, but he was good enough not to let me see them.


    Can Jakub be a one-woman man for the rest of his life? Do I want him to be the only man I¡¯m ever with again?


    ¡°Hey, wait up.¡± A familiar voice crawls over my skin from behind me. I finish crossing the street and step up onto the sidewalk. The club is on the next block. Maybe I can get there before he catches up, but before I can take another step to get away, a hand mps down on my shoulder.


    ¡°I said hold up.¡± Henry tightens his grip.


    I turn around, jerking myself from his touch. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡±


    He grins down at me. Not the sultry sort of smile Jakub gives me when he sees me, but a slithering sort that leaves ayer of grime over my skin. His tongue runs along his top lip.


    ¡°You¡¯re looking good today, sweetheart.¡± He sps his hands in front of him like he¡¯s praying. ¡°Real good.¡±


    I¡¯m second guessing the dark blue sundress I chose for today. The straps are wide but the neckline cuts down deep, giving Henry an eyeful. Throwing my coffee in his face is a tempting idea, but I decide to keep walking instead.


    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be here,¡± I tell him as he catches up with me. I¡¯m sure his boss back home has things for him to do, why is he being allowed to y games here in Chicago?


    ¡°Neither are you,¡± he says, falling into step beside me. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be back home with me. What¡¯s with you and this guy, huh?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not some guy, Jakub.¡± I sh him my left hand. ¡°He¡¯s my husband.¡± The simple gold band with the princess cut diamond catches the sunlight, sparkling on my finger.


    ¡°Yeah, I heard about that bullshit. Don¡¯t worry, it can be undone.¡± He speaks like I¡¯ve told him I dyed my hair the wrong color. One simple wash and rinse and the whole thing will be back to normal.


    ¡°Henry. What do you want?¡± Ie to another stop, stepping out of the way of another pedestrian. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Your daddy said you and me would make a great couple. He wanted us to be together, Nicole.¡± He rubs the back of his neck. ¡°Look, there¡¯s good reason for you to be with me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah? What¡¯s that?¡± I ask. It¡¯s hot out here in the sun and just being near him makes my stomach roll.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t make you work for one thing,¡± he says with a sarcastic huff. ¡°You¡¯d stay home, be a good woman for me.¡±


    Iugh because what other response could I have for such a stupid notion. Sit home all day waiting for him to waltz in?


    ¡°You really think that¡¯s something I want? To be someone¡¯s little woman who just sits and waits for him to need her?¡± I shake my head and start walking again. Katfish is across this next intersection. The construction crew is moving equipment in and out of the club. Almost there.


    ¡°You¡¯d rather work for this prick?¡± His question follows me as I march across the street. The exhaust from the cars on the street make the air thick, but not as thick as Henry¡¯s head if he thinks I have any interest in being with him on any level.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather you leave,¡± I say to him, turning to him one more time. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be with you. I told you that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you ratted me out to the cops.¡± He spits the usation at me.


    ¡°I had nothing to do with that,¡± I say for the thousandth time. ¡°You know it, Christian knew it, and Piotr knows it. So just drop it already. You¡¯re just making yourself look like a crazy person.¡±


    His face gets red, and I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s not from the summer heat. When his lips curl inward, I take a defensive step back.


    ¡°You¡¯re really fucking things up with this shit.¡± He jabs his pointed finger into my face. ¡°Piotr¡¯s going to make a move and you¡¯re going to get caught up in it. You¡¯re gonna lose everything, you bitch.¡± Spittle collects on the sides of his mouth.


    ¡°Hey. Watch your fucking mouth.¡± Bobby steps up to us, putting himself between us. I step to the right so I can still see Henry. I won¡¯t put it past him to go after Bobby, and I¡¯d rather not be in direct line of fire if it happens.


    ¡°This ain¡¯t got nothing to do with you, shit for brains, so how about you keep on walking.¡± Henry shoos Bobby with one hand while leaning to the side to find me. ¡°This is between me and my girl.¡±

 98

    ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s your girl, asshole. I¡¯m pretty damn sure she¡¯s Mrs. Staszek. That makes her Jakub Staszek¡¯s girl.¡±


    While I¡¯m not thrilled with being talked about as though I¡¯m some sort of baggage that belongs to one man or the other, it¡¯s not the worst thing in the world to hear about myself. She¡¯s Jakub Staszek¡¯s girl.


    ¡°And I¡¯m even more sure you¡¯re on the wrong part of town. So it would probably be in your best interest to take off before Mr. Staszekes out looking for his wife.¡± Bobby¡¯s voice deepens. He¡¯s already twice Henry¡¯s size, but with the way he¡¯s broadened his arms and puffed out his chest, there¡¯s no denying he can and will crush Henry if he opens his mouth once more.


    Henry narrows his eyes on me. ¡°We¡¯re not done talking.¡± Bobby makes a small step toward Henry and he shuffles back three steps. ¡°But I¡¯ll catch youter. When we can talk privately.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± I say to him, but he¡¯s already turned and stalking back down the sidewalk.


    He checks over his shoulder twice before he crosses the street. His brows are pulled together in a fierce pout.


    ¡°Thanks, Bobby. I could have handled him, but thanks.¡± I pat his shoulder once Henry is far enough away that Bobby rxes. He turns to face me; his angry expression softens.


    ¡°He looked like a little piss ant.¡±


    Iugh. ¡°He is a little piss ant.¡±


    ¡°Kinda hot for coffee, isn¡¯t it?¡± he asks, gesturing to my cup.


    ¡°Never too hot for coffee,¡± I assure him. ¡°Thanks again.¡± I turn to walk into Katfish and find him right behind me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll walk you in,¡± he says when he catches me looking over my shoulder at him.


    We walk into the quiet club together. There¡¯re still a few hours in the day before the music starts and people start pouring in. The club has grown so popr Jakub is considering having it open seven nights a week instead of five.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Jakub greets us as he walks out of the office hallway.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°There was some trouble outside,¡± Bobby says before I can stop him.


    Jakub¡¯s eyes narrow in on me. ¡°What sort of trouble?¡±


    ¡°It was nothing,¡± I insist. ¡°Henry was outside.¡± Better I exin instead of letting Bobby do all the talking.


    ¡°He seemed to be chasing her down, and when she tried to get him to go away, he refused,¡± Bobby rats me out. ¡°I hope I wasn¡¯t overstepping, but I got him to leave.¡±


    Jakub frowns. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t overstep. I appreciate it.¡± He turns his heated gaze to me. ¡°If you see him again, bring him inside. I¡¯d like a word.¡±


    ¡°You got it, Mr. Staszek.¡± Bobby nods. ¡°I better get next door.¡±


    As soon as Bobby¡¯s gone, I turn on Jakub. ¡°Are you turning the foreman into one of your hired guns now?¡±


    Jakub¡¯s eyebrow arches. ¡°Did you want to try that again without the attitude?¡±


    ¡°Not really, no.¡± I stand my ground. ¡°I¡¯m not some little girl who needs babysitters all over the ce and who can¡¯t use an adult tone when she¡¯s pissed.¡±


    ¡°What are you pissed about?¡± He folds his arms over his chest and tilts his head slightly to the side.


    It¡¯s at this moment I hear sses nking to the left of us. The bar is being stocked for opening.


    ¡°Can we talk about this in my office?¡± I try to step around him, but he blocks me.


    ¡°You wanted to talk here, so talk. What has you so pissed?¡±


    ¡°Never mind.¡± I shake my head. I don¡¯t want the audience and my head is clouded now. What exactly am I pissed about?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to my office.¡± He spins on his heel, while cupping my elbow, and leads me out of the club and into the offices.


    My coffee break has been ruined and worst of all, I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s cold now.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What did Henry want?¡± Jakub asks the moment his office door is closed.


    ¡°What he always wants, to have a tantrum because I didn¡¯t stay with him, to use me of turning him in to the cops, to be aplete asshole just because he can be.¡± I put my coffee on the desk and plop into one of the leather-cushioned chairs. Damn, this isfortable. Much better than the rolling chairs I have in my office.


    ¡°You¡¯re married to me.¡±


    I turn around in the chair, hooking my arm over the back, and settle a look on him. ¡°He¡¯s aware. And he doesn¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°Did he say why he¡¯s still in Chicago?¡±


    ¡°No. Something about Piotr doing something and I was going to get caught in the crosshairs. I wasn¡¯t really listening, Jakub. He¡¯s a crazy asshole.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s dangerous,¡± Jakub mutters and marches to his desk where his cell isying on top of a closedptop.


    After tapping on the phone, he puts it to his ear, keeping steady eyes on me. One finger taps the back of his phone while he waits for someone to answer his call.


    With an annoyed sigh, I grab my coffee and take a sip.


    Yep, it¡¯s chilled.


    ¡°Marcin, I need you to swing by Katfish and pick up my wife. Bring her home and make sure two men are stationed at every entrance. Only workers are allowed in the warehouse until further notice. No sales visits or whatever bullshit they do, understood?¡±


    The hair on my neck stands at attention.


    ¡°I still have work to do,¡± I argue with him while he¡¯s listening to Marcin¡¯s response. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving yet, Jakub.¡±


    He holds up a finger at me, telling me to wait.


    My face heats.


    ¡°No. I will not fucking wait. I have a job. I have a life. And none of that is going to change because you want to have a fucking pissing contest with Henry or Piotr or whoever!¡± I shove out of the chair and make it to the door before I feel his powerful arm wrap around my waist.


    Before I know what¡¯s happening, I¡¯m hoisted off the floor. I kick out my feet and hit the door, but he takes a step back so I can¡¯t hit anything.


    ¡°Five minutes, Marcin. Pull up in the back, I¡¯ll bring her out. And I want to know who was supposed to watching the little prick. He shouldn¡¯t have gotten anywhere near her,¡± he says and then hangs up. Now both arms are holding me around my waist and no matter how much I try to shove them off me, they don¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Dammit, Jakub. Let me go.¡± I p his arm, which he probably can¡¯t even feel with his suit jacket on.


    Who the hell wears a suit jacket in ny-degree weather in Chicago?


    ¡°Calm down.¡±


    ¡°I am calm,¡± I say and swing my leg back until I hit his shin. Somehow, I doubt it¡¯s the first time he¡¯s been hit before; it doesn¡¯t even bother him.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to put you down and you¡¯re going to stay put, understood?¡±


    Understood? Like I¡¯m one of his little worker bees?


    ¡°Sure,¡± I say with a nod and stop struggling against him. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to win anyway.


    With caution, he puts me back on my feet. The second his arm is loose, I burst free and rush to the door.


    He¡¯s on me in two steps and once again I¡¯m hoisted off the floor. But this time, he has me thrown over his shoulder and he carries me to the couch against the wall.


    ¡°No, Jakub. No!¡± I start to pummel his back with my fists.


    ¡°No?¡± He swings me down from his shoulder, plops down on the couch and tugs me over hisp all in one fluid movement, leaving me momentarily shocked, and I¡¯ll be honest, a little impressed.


    ¡°Maybe you should have thought of that before you yelled at me. Before you cursed at me. Before you hit me.¡± His arm has me pinned down over hisp, and his free hand has already thrown the skirt of my dress onto my back. He doesn¡¯t bother yanking my panties down but grabs them and pulls them up until I¡¯m experiencing the deepest wedgie in my life.


    ¡°Jakub!¡± I throw my arm back to block my ass, but he merely catches it and holds my wrist.


    ¡°I want you to go home because I don¡¯t trust Henry not toe back here to cause trouble tonight. If you¡¯re home and protected I can better concentrate on what¡¯s happening with that,¡± he exins and thenys into me.


    My bare ass gets lit on fire with his volley of spanks. Random spanks cover both of my cheeks, but he manages to get every bit of me. And no amount of wiggling or cursing is helping me.


    ¡°When I ask you to wait so I can finish a conversation, I expect you to be a good girl and wait.¡± He annunciates his expectation with a hard swat to the sensitive spot on my thigh. I straighten my legs and hiss.


    ¡°I would have exined all of this to you when I hung up with Marcin, but you wanted to act like a little brat. So now you¡¯ll get treated like one.¡± He goes all in, spreading the spanking out across my thighs, my sit spots, my ass cheeks. Nothing is left untouched, it all hurts and burns and before I know it, I¡¯m crying, begging him to stop.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jakub. I¡¯m sorry!¡± I try to tug my arm free, but he¡¯s got a death grip on it. I can¡¯t do anything other than take my punishment.


    He hasn¡¯t kept me in the dark about anything so far. I had no reason to think he would do so now. Most men wouldn¡¯t let their girlfriends or wives continue working in the club the way Jakub has. The men in our world prefer their girls backstage. But he¡¯s done none of that.


    I reacted unreasonably.


    And now I have a sore ass for my trouble.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± He¡¯s rubbing my legs, not where he spanked. What he put down will stay; he¡¯s not going to undo the spanking because it¡¯s over. But he willfort me.


    I sniffle, embarrassed by my bitchy behavior and how easily he¡¯s brought me to tears.


    He tugs my panties out from my ass cheeks, and lightly drapes my dress back down. When I¡¯m dressed to his satisfaction, he swivels me around until I¡¯m seated on hisp and have my head buried in his neck. What a mess I am.


    Warm strokes of his hand run in circles on my back and just like that everything calms inside of me. The raging anger, the worry, the panic, it¡¯s all just melted away and all that¡¯s left is this overwhelming urge to hold onto him.


    ¡°I want you safe, Nicole,¡± he says softly, then tucks me under his chin. ¡°And if I have to take my belt to your ass every day, I will.¡±


    I swallow hard and wipe my cheeks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be put away like Rapunzel.¡± I push away gently from his chest and look into his eyes. Worry rules his features as he stares at me.


    ¡°I doubt you would tolerate such treatment.¡± He tucks my hair behind my ears. ¡°You can work from home just as easily as you can work from here. And it¡¯s just for a few days. I have men all over the warehouse; it¡¯s a damn fortresspared to this club.¡±


    He¡¯s not wrong. I¡¯m not entirely sure what they do down there, but there¡¯s always half a dozen armed men walking around checking on things.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I whisper. My throat is sore from my crying, and I¡¯m not sure what words wille out if I let them fly free.


    ¡°Marcin is going to take you home. I¡¯ll bring yourputer and stuff when I go home tonight. You are not to leave the apartment. And if you need to order dinner, text me and I¡¯ll have it brought to you.¡± He wipes his knuckles across my cheeks. ¡°Okay?¡±


    I nod. ¡°Yeah, Jakub.¡±


    ¡°Do you need anything before you go?¡±


    I sigh and nod.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± he asks, his brows pulled together like he¡¯s ready to give me anything in the world if I just ask.


    ¡°I need a fresh cup of coffee.¡±


    His lips spread into a wide grin and heughs. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Marcin to drive through somewhere for you.¡± He pats my ass and helps me to my feet.


    When I¡¯m standing, he grabs the neckline of my dress and pulls me to him, capturing my mouth beneath his.


    It¡¯s a hard kiss. A breath-sucking, heart-stopping, toes-curling kiss and when he breaks it, I blink at him like I¡¯ve forgotten my damn name.


    He shes me his arrogant smile. ¡°C¡¯mon. Marcin¡¯s out back waiting for you.¡±

 99

    It¡¯s past nine when I finally get home. The apartment is quiet when I step off the service elevator. A light shines over the kitchen ind, but otherwise the floor is dark.


    ¡°Nicole?¡± I put herputer and the stack of folders Nora gave me to bring home for Nicole on the end table beside the couch.


    She doesn¡¯t answer.


    I¡¯ve had men stationed downstairs and at every door of the warehouse, so I know she¡¯s here. Maybe she¡¯s fallen asleep out of boredom. I have a sixty-inch smart TV, but I¡¯ve never seen her use it. She reads on her phone or listens to books if she¡¯s not working.


    She picked through her belongings at her apartmentst week and brought over only two boxes of things. Mostly paperbacks and picture albums, along with her clothes. Everything else was put into a storage unit. Looking around my apartment, it would be hard to believe she lives here with me. Other than her purse hanging from the hook near the elevator, nothing of hersys about.


    Not a piece of clothing, a magazine, some trinket to decorate the ce. Nothing. It¡¯s like she¡¯s a guest here, not my wife.


    Even the kitchen has no trace of her. The container from the food she ordered out is already in the trash. The sink is clean, all dishes either put away or waiting in the dishwasher. I¡¯ve always had a tidy ce, but without any touches of her it has a sterile feel to it.


    I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and head upstairs. She¡¯s probably sitting in the window seat reading.


    When I push the bedroom door open, letting the lights pour out of the room into the darkened hallway, I find my wife. My naughty, naughty wife.


    For a moment, I stand in the doorway staring at her naked body spread open on the bed, her gentle fingers stuffed in her pussy. Her free hand cradles her bare tit, her nipple pinched between her fingers.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I ask, startling her. She freezes and her eyes fly open,ing to meet mine directly.


    ¡°Jakub.¡± She scrambles to sit up, grabbing a throw nket from the foot of the bed and covering herself with it. Her juices shimmer on her fingers gripping the nket in a fist. The blush bursting on her cheeks makes my cock rock hard.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I ask, pushing off the doorframe and walking into the room. I stop at the foot of the bed, slipping my hands into my front pockets.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d beter.¡± Her answer tells me everything but doesn¡¯t answer my question.


    ¡°So, you thought you could touch what¡¯s mine?¡± I ask, making a point of looking at her bare legs still poking out from the throw. ¡°I punished you earlier, didn¡¯t I?¡± I ask, tilting my head, lowering my voice. From her position, I can easily see the red blush on her ass cheeks. It was a hard spanking, and one she deserved.


    She opens her mouth then snaps her lips shut, like she thought better of speaking the words about to tumble out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let me stop you, Nicole.¡± I take my hands out of my pockets and shuck out of my jacket. ¡°Go on.¡± I wave at her when she continues to sit on the bed staring at me. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s mortification or annoyance over being caught touching herself that has her so silent.


    ¡°What?¡± She blinks a few times.


    I bring the armchair from the corner of the room to the foot of the bed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let me stop you, keep doing what you were doing,¡± I say, unbuttoning my sleeves and folding them over once then twice before I sit in the chair. Resting my left ankle on my right knee, I make myselffortable.


    She still hasn¡¯t moved.


    ¡°Nicole. Lie back down, spread those pretty thighs, and shove two fingers in your pussy.¡± Her reluctance fuels my desire to make her do it-to make her obey me.


    Hesitantly, she lies back on the mountain of pillows she has set up behind her, letting the nket fall to the bed beside her. I tuck my lip between my teeth, biting down hard enough to get my control back. She bends her knees and brings her feet up to her ass before dropping her knees to the sides, exposing her sweet pussy to my eyes. Already wet and swollen from her earlier administrations, her pussy lips part, and the dark pink of her sex beckons me.


    I take a deep breath and fist my hands on my knees, trying my damnedest to force a bored expression onto my face. No matter how much this is killing me, no matter how hard my cock gets, I won¡¯t let her take this control from me. She¡¯ll do as I say, she¡¯ll obey me, and we¡¯ll both reap the rewards of her submission.


    ¡°Like this?¡± She throws on a coy smile while slithering her hand down her body until her delicate fingers cover her slit.


    ¡°Just like you were when I walked in,¡± I say then clear my throat.


    Bending two fingers, she thrusts them into her cunt and my cock twitches against my zipper. Fuck, this lesson may not go the way I want it to.


    ¡°Your nipple, don¡¯t forget your tit, Nicole,¡± I say as a way to distract myself from my own difort.


    She moves back into the same position I found her in and closes her eyes. She¡¯s using the heel of her hand to rub her clit while she slowly fucks herself with her fingers.


    ¡°Why did I spank you earlier, Nicole?¡± I ask, keeping my gaze fixated on her pussy.


    ¡°Because I was rude,¡± she says in a breathless voice. Her cheeks are still rosy, her nipples still rock hard, and her stomach pulls tight. She¡¯s getting close.


    ¡°You were a bad girl, that¡¯s right.¡± I clench my teeth. Fuck, she¡¯s being so good now, though. ¡°And bad girls get spankings, don¡¯t they?¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, Jakub. Hard spankings.¡± She rolls her head to the side, her ass lifts off the bed. She¡¯s thrusting her fingers harder into her tight pussy, chasing down the orgasm she thinks she¡¯s going to catch.

 100

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Bad girls get hard spankings.¡± I quietly get off from my chair and undress. Her chest rises and falls faster, her breath hitches. The little tremble of her thighs raises a g for me.


    ¡°And they don¡¯t get toe home and masturbate over the memory either.¡± As soon as the words are out of my mouth, her eyes fling open. I lean over the side of the bed and mp my hand down over hers, stilling all movement.


    A protest bursts onto her face, raw panic pulls her mouth into a pout. And fuck me if that doesn¡¯t make my cock even harder.


    Nicole is a far stronger woman than I ever would have thought I¡¯d find myselftched onto. She takes no shit from anyone, which only makes these moments when she bends to my will all the sweeter.


    ¡°Jakub,¡± she whines. ¡°Please.¡±


    I shake my head with a grin. ¡°No, sweet girl. You have to make me feel good first.¡± I move my hand from her cunt to my own cock, wrapping my fingers around my thick shaft.


    She licks at her lips and quickly rolls to her belly, scrambling to the edge of the bed. When she reaches for my cock, I push her hand away.


    ¡°No, no. Lie on your back, drop your head off the side,¡± I order her.


    A moment of confusion crosses her eyes, but she doesn¡¯t wait to ask questions. Flipping around again, she scoots backward until her head is hanging off the bed, her mouth even with my cock when I straddle her face.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good girl. Do as you¡¯re told and you¡¯ll get toe. Now open that mouth of yours.¡± I push the head of my cock against her moist lips and she parts them for me.


    ¡°This dirty mouth got you in trouble earlier; let¡¯s see if it can make things all better for you now,¡± I say just before I thrust hard into her mouth, over her tongue and straight down her throat.


    She gags instantly, but I wrap my hand around her throat, holding her in ce. Fuck, it feels too fucking good to pull out, but I have to. I don¡¯t leave her mouth all the way, just enough for her get some air.


    ¡°Breathe deep, baby,¡± I tell her and once I see her chest fill, I plow forward again. My balls hit her nose and a jolt of lightning ricochets through my cock.


    ¡°y with your pussy for me, sweet girl. Finger yourself again,¡± I tell her as I continue to fuck my wife¡¯s face, down her throat, while squeezing.


    Obediently, she slips her hand between her thighs, and she¡¯s back at it, rubbing and fucking herself. She¡¯s too confident to be shy about this. I may have startled her earlier, but she¡¯s all in now.


    Fuuuuck, she¡¯s perfect. As my cock glides over her hot, wet tongue she swivels it, hitting the sensitive spot beneath the head of my dick. I plunge forward, dropping my hand to the bed to keep from falling onto her.


    ¡°You better hurry if you want toe, Nicole. I¡¯m not waiting on you tonight. Make yourselfe before I do, or you get nothing.¡± My balls pull tight, the familiar tingle building in my spine. I mean what I say, I¡¯m not waiting on her.


    It¡¯s then I see the tremor in her thigh again. She¡¯s going toe, she¡¯s so close.


    ¡°Come, bad girl,e for me. Show me you can be good. Show me you want to be my good girl,¡± I say even though the words bring my orgasm too close to ignore.


    One more thrust of her fingers and she¡¯s screaming her release. The vibrations of her moans hit my cock. My stomach clenches, my back stiffens, then my breath sticks in my chest. Waves of pleasurepound and drown out my own cry of release as my orgasm rages within.


    I pull back from her throat, letting my cum spurt across her tongue and her chin as my vision fades at the edges. She¡¯s settled beneath me, licking at the tip of my dick while I try to catch my breath.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I say, pushing off the bed and straightening up to my full height. ¡°No, let me help you.¡± I sit on the bed beside her, my cock still hard for her. She sits up, wiping her hand across her chin where several drops of milky white cum havended.


    As I watch, she wipes them onto the back of her hand then licks it clean. I clench my jaw. Fuck me, how did I ever let this woman out of my sight all those years ago? I should have chased her down right then and dragged her ass back to Chicago.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to kill me,¡± I mutter and get to my feet. I duck into the closet and pull on a pair of boxers and grab a nightgown from her side.


    ¡°Did you have a good night at the club?¡± she asks when I return with her nightgown.


    ¡°It was fine. What did you do?¡± I ask, looking around the room. Everything¡¯s put away, no booksid out, no evidence she¡¯s even been in the room all night.


    ¡°You mean besides¡­¡± Her attempt to tease me sends another blush across her cheeks.


    Iugh and hop into bed beside her, pulling the thick nkets over my legs. My girl likes it cold when she sleeps, so the air conditioner is turned up making the room more an icebox than a bedroom. Not that my body even realized it while I had my cock shoved down her tight throat.


    ¡°Yes, besides that.¡± I pull her up to me once she¡¯s under the covers with me. ¡°And about that¡­ you keep your hands away from your pussy unless I know about it.¡±


    This dictate earns me a raised brow. ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Damn right.¡± I nod, but I¡¯m not delusional. I fully expect her to rebel against this rule first chance she gets. I can only hope I get to catch her in the act.


    She rolls her eyes, then scoots down until she cany her head against my chest. I wrap my arm around her, enjoying the feel of her body against me. I¡¯ve snuggled women before, but never has it felt so¡­ intimate. I press a kiss to the top of her head.


    ¡°I read for a bit, took a bath. Watched the news.¡± Her words are followed by a yawn.


    It¡¯s notte, but she¡¯s stolen my energy.


    ¡°You watched TV?¡± I ask, a little surprised.


    She snuggles further into me. ¡°I had it on while I ate. That sushi you sent over was amazing by the way.¡±


    I hate sushi even more than Thai food, but she¡¯s big on it. ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had the taste for souptely. Maybe I¡¯ll make some borscht tomorrow night.¡±


    ¡°You can cook?¡±All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°When I want to. My mom used to make it on my birthday, it was my favorite soup. We had on it Christmas Eve every year, but she made it special on my birthday.¡±


    It¡¯s the first time she¡¯s talked about her mother willingly.


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t always a drug addict. It was just thest year before she overdosed. Dad was working more and more, and they fought a lot. I think she finally realized what he did to earn a living. I think it was her way of rebelling against him, but it backfired.¡±


    I remain still, letting her talk.


    ¡°After she died, we moved a few times before we ended up here in Chicago. This was the longest we stayed in one ce before we moved to New York. I think Dad was trying to outrun his guilt.¡± She shrugs then yawns again. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy.¡±


    ¡°I can see that,¡± I whisper, enjoying this peek into her. She¡¯s always had to be strong. Always had to be ready to go. And with the work her dad did, they were able to move around as much as he wanted. There¡¯s always someone to hurt somewhere in the world for a few bucks.


    I say nothing else for a few minutes before I realize she¡¯s fallen asleep. Another look around the room, at theck of her possessions, theck of her touch.


    She¡¯s still ready to leave everything behind and run.

 101

    Nicole


    It¡¯s been two days since Jakub locked me away in his apartment for my safety. He finally relented to letting me go out when his sister called to invite me on a shopping trip with their sister-inw. And then it wasn¡¯t so much an invitation as Jakub telling me I needed to get out of the apartment and quit burying myself in work.


    No matter the grand opening of the restaurant and cigar room is in one week and there are a few hundredst-minute details to take care of. He wants me to march down Michigan Avenue like a pampered little princess with his ck Amex. But I¡¯m so starved for the outside, I agreed.


    ¡°Sorry about the babysitter,¡± I say to Lena as we climb out of the SUV Jakub sent to pick me up after collecting Lena and Kasia.


    Lena links her arm through mine. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t Jakub¡¯s guys it would have been Micah¡¯s or Dominik¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right.¡± Kasia steps ahead of us and enters the ground floor of Macy¡¯s.


    I still remember when it used to be Marshall Field¡¯s. I was a little girl back then and my parents would bring me to Chicago for Christmas. We¡¯d see the Marshall Field¡¯s Christmas window decorations depicting a story using the disy windows on Michigan Avenue and have lunch beneath the gigantic Christmas tree inside the store.


    ¡°Face it, our husbands are overprotective possessive men.¡± Lena lets out a mock sigh. ¡°It¡¯s a burden.¡±


    Iugh. ¡°You don¡¯t sound that put off by it.¡±


    Kasia leads us to the esctors and the two men tasked with babysitting us for the afternoon follow behind.


    ¡°She¡¯s not. Micah would give her anything she wanted so long as she shes a smile while asking.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t ask him for things. I can take care of myself,¡± Lena protests, letting go of my arm and leaning against the rail of the esctor.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean you were spoiled.¡± Kasia puts a gentle hand on Lena¡¯s arm. ¡°I just meant he¡¯s overprotective but he¡¯s not a jerk, doesn¡¯t keep you from doing what you want.¡±


    Lena nods and her eyes soften. ¡°He does spoil me, but not in a bad way.¡±


    Kasiaughs. ¡°That¡¯s his job. Dominik is the same way.¡±


    Lena¡¯s face screws up with repulsion. ¡°Eww, I don¡¯t want to know what my brother does for you.¡±


    Watching them is like watching old friends, sisters really. And they should be. Maybe not by blood, but they are close.


    ¡°Jakub will let up soon.¡± Lena turns her attention to me as we step off the esctor and head to the women¡¯s department. Lena¡¯s in the market for a dress for a wedding on Micah¡¯s side of the family. Apparently, her husband had ordered a dressmaker to meet with her at the house, but Lena insisted she was going shopping like a normal person.


    ¡°I know,¡± I say, moving through the department, ncing at all the dresses. There aren¡¯t racks like at the department stores I¡¯m used to. While there are a few disy racks, there are only a few dresses on each of them. She¡¯ll have to have a shopper get the dress from the back if she wants to try anything on.


    ¡°Once the addition opens up, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll rx.¡± Lena stops in front of a manikin wearing a shimmering silver dress. Strapless and the neckline runs deep-like down to the belly button deep.


    ¡°Micah will kill you.¡± Kasiaes to stand beside Lena.


    ¡°Micah will love it,¡± Lena beams.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way he¡¯s letting you wear that around his family,¡± Kasia argues.


    ¡°Who said it¡¯s for the wedding,¡± Lena argues back with a grin. She reminds me of Jakub with her yfulness. I know they were close growing up, but I wonder if he knows how much of him rubbed off on her.


    Kasiaughs. ¡°Good point.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get a room set aside.¡± Lena leaves us to find a saleswoman to help get her settled.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard at first.¡± Kasia turns to me,passion filling her eyes. ¡°Being married to Jakub, it¡¯s not like a normal marriage, right?¡±


    Is anything about Jakub normal?


    ¡°I guess not.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s overbearing, bossy, and possessive?¡± Kasia¡¯s lips twitch at the edges.


    ¡°That sums it up pretty well, yeah.¡± But he¡¯s more, he¡¯s also attentive and caring. He doesn¡¯t push too hard, but lets me open up to him without harsh demands.


    ¡°Once the issue with the Kaczmareks is settled, it will calm down.¡±


    ¡°You know about that?¡±


    Kasia nods. ¡°I¡¯m probably not supposed to, but Dominik doesn¡¯t always remember to leave the room when he¡¯s talking business.¡± She smiles. ¡°He trusts me.¡±


    ¡°Okay, the room¡¯s set. Let¡¯s see what else there is.¡± Lena¡¯s back and pointing at another dress I¡¯m certain Micah won¡¯t like her to wear in public.


    ¡°How is the openinging?¡± Kasia asks as we follow Lena to a new cluster of dresses.


    ¡°Good. I think we¡¯ll be all set. I¡¯ve gotten a few critics and independent bloggers to attend, so I think that will help get the word out.¡±


    ¡°Jakub is really talented with the clubs. Dominik doesn¡¯t have to worry about them at all with Jakub dealing with it.¡±


    ¡°I guess they all have their own talents,¡± I say. Jakub doesn¡¯t deal with the family business in the same capacity as Dominik, and even though he says nothing outright, I think it pisses him off.


    ¡°I¡¯m adding this one. I¡¯ll be back.¡± Lena grabs another dress and disappears into the changing rooms.


    ¡°I know your parents have passed away, but do you have other family? Cousins? Aunts, uncles?¡± Kasia asks.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°No, not that I know of. Mom and Dad were all each other had. Youe from arge family? Outside of Dominik?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sort of. My father kept me secluded mostly, but I had cousins here for a while. They¡¯ve left now, back to Pnd or to New York.¡±


    ¡°After you married Dominik?¡± I ask. I know bits and pieces of their history.


    ¡°Mostly.¡± Kasia stretches her neck and waves in the air. Lena¡¯s back out of the dressing room, stomping to us with a deep frown on her lips.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I ask when she reaches us.


    ¡°None of them fit,¡± sheins, grabbing her purse from Kasia who¡¯d been holding it for her.


    ¡°Did you ask for a different size?¡± Kasia asks.


    ¡°No.¡± Lena shakes her head, slinging her purse over her shoulder. ¡°I do not need a new size. I need to shop somewhere the dresses are true to size.¡± And with that, she stomps off toward the esctors.


    I exchange a confused look with Kasia before following her to the stairs.


    ¡°Uh.¡± I notice the sign on the next level. ¡°Do you think we can look here?¡±


    ¡°Here?¡± Lena looks to the floor.


    ¡°Yeah. Jakub¡¯s apartment is a little¡­¡±


    ¡°Man-cave-ish?¡± Lena fills in for me.


    Iugh. ¡°Yeah. A little. I thought, maybe I¡¯d pick up some things for the bathroom. Just a little. Not too much.¡±


    Kasia touches my forearm. ¡°It¡¯s not Jakub¡¯s apartment anymore, Nicole. It¡¯s yours too.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± I shrug. It¡¯s not supposed to be mine. This entire situation was supposed to be temporary. Jakub¡¯s deration really shouldn¡¯t change anything. But seeing these women, these sisters, it¡¯s making the future not seem so foggy.


    Besides. A new bathmat doesn¡¯t change anything.


    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s get shopping.¡± Lena leans to the side to speak to our bodyguards standing a few feet behind us. ¡°Hope you guys are ready to carry some bags.¡± She wiggles her fingers at them, then grabs hold of my arm, dragging me toward the towels.


    A bathmat, I remind myself. Maybe some towels.


    Nothing too permanent.

 102

    Jakub


    My father coughs into his handkerchief then folds it in half and tucks it into his pocket. I look over at him, concern hitting me at how pale he looks today. His suit seems bigger, too.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he says with a pointed finger before I can voice my concern.


    ¡°You sound like it.¡± I look at my watch. ¡°They¡¯rete.¡±


    The three of us are waiting for Piotr Kaczmarek to show. We¡¯ve called a meeting, on neutral territory, to question him about his move with the unions. He¡¯s stepping on our toes, and before it gets out of hand, we¡¯re going to have to put a stop to it.


    ¡°They¡¯ll be here.¡± Dominik rolls his shoulders back. He yawns, but quickly covers it with his fist.


    Neither of them look ready tobat Piotr.


    ¡°Are you two going to be able to handle this? Because they¡¯re not just fucking with Staszek business. Letting Henry stay here in Chicago is a way to fuck with my wife.¡±


    Dominik arches an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s your problem? We¡¯ll have this handled.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I walk to the single window in the room. The cafe where we¡¯ve taken over their back office is situated in the middle of a long line of shops. The window looks out into the alley; across the way is another row of shops.


    ¡°Jakub. Don¡¯t worry,¡± my father says from his chair. He seems winded, but I won¡¯t bring it up again. A dark sedan pulls up in the alley, parking in front of the door. Piotr climbs out of the back seat, along with two other men. Henry isn¡¯t with them.


    Shame. I wouldn¡¯t mind having a word with the fucking prick.


    ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± I move across the room just as the door opens.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°Gentlemen,¡± Piotr says with a wily grin. He goes straight to my father, offering his hand and a bend of his head.


    After the pleasantries are finished, we all sit at the round table in the middle of the room. It¡¯s no coincidence there isn¡¯t a long table being used. Here, we¡¯re neutral. No family has priority and there is no higher-ranking member.


    ¡°I understand you have some issue with my business dealings?¡± Piotr ces his hands on the table, rxed, as though he¡¯s here for a social gathering.


    ¡°It¡¯se to our attention you¡¯ve offered to undercut our deal with some of the unions we¡¯ve made rtionships with.¡± Joseph¡¯s voice is t, devoid of any and all emotion. He¡¯s in boss mode right now, much different than his father voice.


    ¡°Undercut what? I offer a better deal. It¡¯s business, Joseph. Feel free to offer better than me.¡± Piotr shrugs. His hair is slicked back away from his face, making him look older than he is. Since the death of his uncle two years ago, he¡¯s takenplete control of his family dealings in Chicago. Sharing power with his cousin, Christian, who has power over the New York families, is probably the only thing keeping the stress from killing him.


    ¡°You want the unions to take over the Willis project; we¡¯ve put a great deal of work into keeping them out. The Willis project is off limits to you. You know this.¡±


    Piotr mulls this statement over, running his tongue beneath his lip and over his top teeth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall that part of the city being in your territory.¡± He lifts a shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s neutral territory, you know that. But they¡¯re our projects; your uncle agreed to stay out of construction. And we stay out of the gas stations.¡±


    Piotr leans forward, bracing his weight on his forearms on the edge of the table.


    ¡°My uncle agreed to things, but that was years ago. He did agree to stay out of construction, andst year you agreed to stay out of the sex trade. Yet your family got in the way, took our avenues from us.¡±


    ¡°Micah Ivanov was not acting on behalf of the Staszek family,¡± Dominik interrupts. ¡°And we¡¯ve already dealt with this issue. You werepensated.¡±


    Piotr grimaces. ¡°We were, yes. But, you see, we¡¯ve since found out two things.¡± He holds up two fingers. ¡°One, your wife runs a halfway house for lost whores. Several of our girls are being hidden away there.¡± He drops one finger and brings his dark eyes to mine. ¡°And your wife disrespected our family by running away the way she did. My family helped her when her father died. She was to marry one of my men. Instead of holding up to her responsibilities, she ran.¡±


    My back straightens. ¡°She was not promised to anyone.¡± I keep my voice t, but I¡¯m not as schooled in my volume. ¡°And again, we addressed that already. You promised that prick, Henry, would leave Chicago. But he¡¯s still here. He¡¯s still harassing my wife.¡±


    Surprise flickers in Piotr¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Henry was given direct orders to stay away from Nicole.¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe your men don¡¯t listen to your orders as well as you think they do,¡± Dominik adds before I can open my mouth again.


    ¡°The point remains. Your family continues to get in my way. I¡¯ve made a bid, nothing wrong with that.¡±


    ¡°You will stay away from the Willis project,¡± Joseph demands, his hand fisting on the table. ¡°We will draw new lines if needed, but the Willis project is not negotiable.¡±


    To give over now will give the Kaczmareks a taste of our blood. They won¡¯t stop until they overtake everything we have gained over the years.


    Piotr frowns. ¡°I don¡¯t take orders from you, old man.¡±


    ¡°If you aren¡¯t going to keep the agreements between our family, then all agreements are called into question.¡± Joseph¡¯s voice catches at the end of his statement and he pulls his handkerchief out again, falling into a short coughing fit. When he¡¯s finished, his face is red, and he¡¯s struggling to catch his breath. Dominik nces at him, but otherwise makes no move to help.


    ¡°We¡¯ll give you time to decide if you want to continue making money in this city, or if you wantpetition at every turn,¡± Dominik says, giving our father time to catch his breath.


    ¡°Not too much time, mind you,¡± I add. ¡°And put Henry on a leash before I do.¡±


    Piotr narrows his eyes. He doesn¡¯t like taking orders, I get that, but the Kaczmarek family doesn¡¯t have the reach we do in Chicago.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure we cane to some sort of an agreement.¡± Piotr pushes out of his chair, gesturing to his goons who quickly scramble to the door. For all his chest beating, there¡¯s hesitation in his eyes. If he wants to fight over territory, he¡¯ll lose. It will cost us men and be a big fucking headache, but we will not cave to him.


    Joseph gets to his feet and offers his hand. Piotr looks at it, then to Dominik and me before he takes it. It¡¯s a short handshake, but one that means there won¡¯t be a deration of war today.


    Piotr nods his goodbyes to me and Dominik before heading out the back door. We all watch the door until the car doors close, the engine fires up, and the car pulls away. Only then do I let out a breath. If Piotr is willing to break long-standing agreements without a word, he¡¯s not above making a deadly move on neutral territory.


    ¡°That could have gone better.¡± Joseph plops down in his chair, wiping his handkerchief across his mouth before stashing it away again.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the end. We¡¯ll pin him down again. But we stay on the Willis project. I¡¯ll get another meeting with the project manager and be sure they understand the deal is with us. Any discussions with the Kaczmareks will void everything and they can expect to have two of the most expensive unions to march in on the project.¡±


    Joseph nods. ¡°He¡¯s going to try to undercut us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it clear that¡¯s not an option.¡± Dominik pulls his phone out and starts tapping away on the screen.


    I put my hands on my father¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You¡¯ve been fighting that cough for months. What has your doctor said?¡±


    He cranes his head to the side to re up at me. ¡°Who has time for doctors. I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s a chest cold.¡± He waves his hand in the air. ¡°Just a little cold.¡±


    ¡°Stubborn man,¡± I mutter.


    ¡°You just take care of your wife.¡± He jabs at me. ¡°I hear she¡¯s doing good work at the club.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re checking up on me?¡± I ask, only half irritated.


    ¡°Kasia tells him anything if he asks nicely enough,¡± Dominik says while still typing away on his phone. ¡°She¡¯s got a soft spot for the stubborn goat.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be mad at me because your wife likes me better than you,¡± Joseph teases.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so proud. Anyone is better than Dominik.¡± I pat his shoulder.


    Heughs, which causes another coughing fit, but it¡¯s short lived.


    ¡°You¡¯re both hrious.¡± Dominik puts his phone away. ¡°We better get out of here.¡± He looks to me. ¡°The grand opening is this weekend?¡±


    ¡°Friday night,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°We¡¯ll all be there,¡± my father promises.


    ¡°I would hope so,¡± I say. ¡°I know it¡¯s not as exciting as all the work you two do, but it¡¯s still part of the Staszek family business.¡± I jerk the door of the office that leads into the cafe open.


    My father pinches his lips together as he passes me, like he wants to say something but knows he shouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°You still have men on Nicole? I don¡¯t trust Piotr when ites to her. He could use her against us, especially if Henry is still in town causing trouble. The other families may buy into his bullshit that she owes him and we took her,¡± Dominik says quietly as we head out to our car.


    ¡°I have men protecting her, yes. She¡¯s been working from home, but she¡¯ll need to be in the club the next few days to oversee the opening,¡± I say. ¡°We don¡¯t need the other families to go against the Kaczmareks.¡±


    ¡°No. But we don¡¯t need them to go against us, either.¡±


    Good point.


    Dominik gets to the car-my father is already seated inside-and turns to me. ¡°Let me ask you this. If divorcing Nicole and handing her over to the Kaczmareks would make this all go away-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking finish your question,¡± I cut him off before he says something that requires me to throw my fist into his face.


    A knowing grin crosses his lips.


    ¡°Guess I don¡¯t need to.¡± He pats the side of my face like he did when I was younger and he wanted to remind me who was the oldest.


    ¡°If you boys are done ying around, I¡¯d like to get going. It¡¯s hot as hell,¡± Joseph calls from inside the car.


    ¡°Daddy¡¯s calling you, better go.¡± I step out of the way so Dominik can climb in and shut the door.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see you at the club.¡± He ducks into the car and I head to mine.


    It¡¯s early still. I¡¯ve neglected the other clubs these past weeks, and I promised Nora I¡¯d stop at them to at least show my face. I have to make the rounds before I can head home.


    Clubbing never seemed like such a chore before. Hanging around the music, the beautiful women, was always more preferable than going home. But that was before Nicole.


    Nothing since she walked back into my life has been the same. And I¡¯m not so much a stubborn idiot not to recognize it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with,¡± I mutter as my driver pulls out into the street and heads to the first club. It will be at least four hours before I get to go home to my wife.


    A fact that puts me in a sour mood.

 103

    It¡¯s past midnight when Jakub gets home. My stomach flutters when I hear the elevator doors, then his even stride as he makes his way through the first floor. I haven¡¯t seen him all day and our text messages have been scarce.


    My anxiety over what I have nned twists my stomach into knots with every sound of him moving around downstairs.


    I move to the bedroom door and open it enough to get a glimpse of my husband. He pours himself a ss of orange juice from the fridge, drops his suit jacket over the back of the couch, stops and picks up a pillow.


    He had no objections to the new towels I put in the master bathroom, so I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d mind if I added a few throw pillows in the living room. Nerves rattle me as he checks out the new addition. He can¡¯t possibly have an objection-can he?


    Tossing the pillow back on the couch, he downs his juice and leaves the empty ss on the end table. When he reaches the stairs, I quietly shut the door and hurry back to the bed.


    ncing at the clock again, I wonder if I¡¯ve made a mistake. It¡¯s past midnight. He has to be tired. This was stupid. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have done this. What if he thinks I¡¯m being silly? If heughs, I¡¯ll have to kill him.


    The door opens and Jakub¡¯s surprised eyes meet mine. I¡¯m kneeling on the bed, my knees spread, my palms down and chin held high.


    The same position he once put me into when we yed around years ago. He left me like this, then went to take a shower and made me hold it until he came back. My pussy drooled on the bedding waiting for him toe back and fuck me senseless.


    He probably thought I¡¯d forgotten.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he asks with a smile in his voice.


    I swallow. ¡°Wee home?¡± I tilt my head to the side.


    He chuckles andes to stand at the foot of the bed. With smooth movements, he unbuttons his shirt, pulls it from his pants, and tosses it to the floor. He¡¯s wearing a white tank top beneath; a thin gold chain with a cross dangling from it hangs around his neck.


    He¡¯s lean, but muscr, and the white tank is stretched across his pec muscles. His pants hang off his hips in a way that makes me want to tug them down lower and lower until they show me what I¡¯m really after tonight.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    Jakub puts his hands on his hips as he stares at me, and hunger quickly reces the tiredness of his eyes.


    ¡°And what should I do with you now?¡± he asks. I bite my lower lip.


    ¡°Well, I have an idea.¡± My throat closes around my teasing words.


    ¡°Oh? And what is that?¡± He moves his hands and crosses his arms over his chest. A yful grin dances on his lips.


    Well. Here goes.


    I take a deep breath and break position, crawling on the bed until my back is to him. Stretching my arms over my head, I bend at the waist until my ass is high in the air and my cheeks partially spread.


    ¡°And what is that, Nicole?¡± he asks in a serious tone.


    I close my eyes; maybe I overstepped.


    ¡°I asked a question.¡± His firmness makes me jump.


    ¡°It¡¯s a butt plug,¡± I say, thanking the stars my face is buried in the bedding. There¡¯s no need for him to see how red my cheeks are. Who knew admitting something so innocent as a butt plug would bring such heat.


    ¡°And who told you to put it in your ass?¡±


    I curl my toes. ¡°No one, Jakub.¡±


    ¡°So why is it in your ass?¡±


    Of course he¡¯s taking this route.


    ¡°I thought you would like it.¡± There. It¡¯s been said.


    ¡°I can¡¯t hear you so well with your face buried in the covers. Lift your head up and tell me what brought this on.¡±


    I clench my teeth. Can¡¯t he give me a little reprieve? I¡¯m no prude in the bedroom, and he knows that, but this is the first time I¡¯ve put myself on the line like this. He¡¯s mentioned several times he wants to fuck my ass, and there I was staring at the plug he¡¯s teased me with for the past two weeks. And now I have to exin my thoughts?


    ¡°So, why is the plug buried in that tight ass of yours?¡± His questiones out silky smooth, no agitation or disappointment to be found.


    ¡°I already told you, I thought you¡¯d like it.¡± I look over my shoulder at him. His erection presses through the thin fabric of his trousers. Oh, he likes this all right. Good.


    I inch to the left. ¡°I can take it out if you don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Make another move and you¡¯ll find out what it feels like to get an ass whipping with the plug in ce.¡±


    When I drag my attention away from his hard cock outlining his pants to his eyes, the heat I find there warms every centimeter of my naked skin. Even with the air conditioning on, my body is hot.


    While I¡¯m staring at him with a victorious grin on my lips, he walks around the bed to my side. He grabs my thighs with both hands and pulls me to him until my feet dangle off the edge and my ass is right in front of him.


    I bite down on my lip and look away from him. It wouldn¡¯t do for him to see the nerves fighting inside of me. As much as I trust him, I know this won¡¯t befortable. But this isn¡¯t for me, this is every bit for him. The one part of me no one has touched. That only he will im.


    Soft touches trail over my ass, stopping at the plug and tapping on it.


    ¡°Tell me how you put it in,¡± he orders while leaving me again on the bed alone. He walks around the bed to his nightstand. ¡°Tell me, Nicole. Don¡¯t make me repeat my instructions.¡±


    He does hate doing that, but I don¡¯t have any sort of sexy story to tell him how I got this thing in my ass. It wasn¡¯t sensual at all, which is why I did it when he wasn¡¯t watching.


    ¡°I used the lubricant in your drawer.¡± Which is probably what he¡¯s grabbing now. ¡°And I put it in.¡± Better to keep it to a minimum on the description.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t touch your pussy while you were doing it?¡± he asks with a little surprise.


    I blink a few times, then look up at him. I hadn¡¯t even thought of it.


    Heughs. ¡°It would have made it easier.¡±


    ¡°Well. Next time,¡± I say, wiggling my ass at him when he¡¯s back behind me.


    ¡°Next time, you¡¯ll do it while I¡¯m here so I can watch you.¡± He ces the bottle of lube on my back. ¡°You took that from me, being able to watch your ass suck this plug up in ce.¡±


    I fist the bedding as his buckle is undone, his pants drop to his ankles. He¡¯s naked behind me, all muscles and hard cock, but I¡¯m so wound up in my thoughts of what¡¯s toe, I can¡¯t look at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re a bit too tight,¡± he says, moving the bottle from my back. His fingers are back on me, trailing up and down my thighs. ¡°You need to rx, Nicole, or this is going to be less fun for you.¡± He grabs hold of the base of the plug and twists it one way then the other, sending shockwaves through every nerve ending present.


    ¡°Less fun for me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll still enjoy myself. Stuffing my cock in this tight little ass of yours is going to be fun no matter what, but the more you fight it, the more unpleasant it is for you.¡± He pulls back on the plug, sliding it partially out until the widest part of the plug is stretching my asshole.


    I hiss, curling my toes inward at the sting of it. Taking a deep breath, I clench my eyes. That was the hardest part to get past, and he¡¯s leaving it right there, stretching me even further.


    ¡°My cock is thicker than this, Nicole. You better breathe better, baby, if you¡¯re going to take it all.¡± He pulls it out a bit more. ¡°And you¡¯re going to take every inch of my dick tonight.¡±


    I¡¯ve opened a can of insane worms, I think.


    ¡°Touch your pussy, that¡¯s right, y with your clit,¡± he instructs me as I move my hand between my thighs. I know I¡¯m wet, but I didn¡¯t realize how wet until my fingers slide through my slit.


    ¡°See how wet your pussy is?¡± he says as his other hand moves between my legs and drags my hand back to the entrance of my pussy. ¡°I want you to finger yourself, baby, keep pumping your fingers into your pussy while I take your ass.¡±


    I lick at my dry lips.


    ¡°Do you understand, Nicole?¡± he asks, gripping my wrist hard.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nod into the bedding.


    ¡°What do you understand? Repeat the instructions back to me.¡± He lets go of my wrist and yanks the rest of the plug free of my ass, dropping it to the bed beside me.


    ¡°You want me to finger myself while you¡­ while you¡­¡± I take a deep breath. I started this, better see it through. ¡°While you fuck my ass.¡±


    ¡°Good girl!¡± he says. Next thing I know, his teeth sink into my ass cheek. I cry out, but he holds my waist to keep me in ce while he bites me again.


    ¡°Fuck, Jakub,¡± I whine, but it¡¯s a faux sound. I¡¯d let him mark my entire body if he would put out the fire between my thighs.


    He licks the spot he bit and moves behind me. The fat head of his cock brushes along my ass cheek until he¡¯s pressed between my cheeks. He¡¯s pulling my cheeks apart, spreading me open to him.


    I m my eyes closed as though that will somehow stop what¡¯sing. If I can¡¯t see it, it¡¯s not happening.


    A cool gel squirts over my ass.


    ¡°Be a good girl, Nicole. Keep ying with your pussy for me,¡± he says while using his finger to rub the lubrication over my tight ring and then without warning, he prates me up to his middle knuckle, maybe further, wiggling it about. ¡°That¡¯s good. You¡¯re good and stretched. Such a good girl, getting your asshole ready for me to fuck.¡±


    I slip a second finger into my pussy. I¡¯m so damn wet, my own juices drip into my palm as I push upward into my passage, finding a good spot for my hand¡¯s heel to hit my clit.


    ¡°Stay still,¡± he orders and the tip of his cock pushes past my tight muscles. I clench immediately, my teeth snap closed.


    ¡°Bad girl.¡± He ps my hip. ¡°Rx, Nicole.¡± He spanks my hip again. ¡°Rx.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying,¡± I grind out between clenched teeth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try. Do it,¡± he orders, and it sounds like he¡¯s got his teeth smashed together too.


    I take a deep breath, concentrate on my fingers in my pussy, think about the sweet sensations my clit is enjoying. And then he moves further into my ass and I¡¯m clenching again.


    ¡°Nicole.¡± My name is dropped hard.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I say and immediately force my body to rx.


    ¡°Push out toward me; it will help your body suck my cock in.¡± He grabs hold of my hips with both hands.


    I nod, but he probably can¡¯t see me. I wouldn¡¯t know, my eyes are still shut. It helps to concentrate on the sensations when I¡¯m not focused on anything visual.


    ¡°There. That¡¯s it.¡± He inches forward. The stretch burns, but it¡¯s the heat spreading through such a sensitive spot, such an intimate ce that drives my libido into high drive.


    The bite of pain his cock is giving me makes me rub my clit faster, fuck my pussy harder.


    ¡°Fuck, so tight.¡± His nails dig into my flesh and it¡¯s another level of pain, another reminder of what he gives me. ¡°So fucking tight. That¡¯s right, take my cock. Take every inch of me into your ass.¡±


    My eyes roll beneath my eyelids. He¡¯s slowed his movements. The burn is starting to fade. I won¡¯t allow it.


    In one hard thrust, I shove backward at him until his pelvis is pressed flush against my ass. His cock is buried so far into me, I cry out from the sudden pleasure of fullness it gives me.


    ¡°You want it hard?¡± he asks. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡± What he means is he doesn¡¯t want to damage me. Hurting me makes his cock hard. It makes my pussy wet. We both want it, and both need it.


    ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± I promise him. ¡°Please, Jakub. I need it so bad,¡± I say, bucking back at him again.


    ¡°Hold still, Nicole. You take what I give you and you don¡¯t beg for more, do you understand?¡± He pinches my hip.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He¡¯s in control here, not me. And having it any other way would ruin these moments between us. He¡¯ll take care of me, even when he¡¯s making me cry. Even when he¡¯s making my body ache and my soul scream for him, every second of it is his by design. And I¡¯ll fall into it dly.


    ¡°Keep fucking your pussy for me, and when you need toe, you go on and do it.¡± He slowly pulls back, drawing his cock almost all the way out of my ass.


    ¡°Hard, Jakub. Please.¡± I¡¯m begging for something I¡¯m not even sure I can handle. But Jakub knows. He¡¯ll be sure I¡¯m safe.


    ¡°Remember you asked for this,¡± he says and then plows forward into my ass. Instant fire explodes and a sharp fullness registers before again I¡¯m half empty.


    Over and over again, his cock barrels forward into me. My free hand, the one holding me up on the bed, fists the covers while my other hand rubs my clit faster and harder. I can feel his cock through my cunt as it glides in and out of my ass. The fullness is near overwhelming, but I still want more of it.


    ¡°Harder!¡± I cry out, bucking back at him. I¡¯ll pay for disobedienceter, but it will be worth it.


    ¡°Bad girl, but fuck¡­ fuck, keep doing that.¡± He sounds close to the edge.


    I buck back harder and harder while he fucks me with the same force. His fingers dig into my flesh, his cock hits deep.


    ¡°Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck!¡± I chant as my body coils tight, ready to take off into orbit. ¡°Fuck!¡± I scream as I throw my ass back at him, and everything goes ck. Colors stream in my vision. My breath catches in my chest, no sound wille forth. Every wave clenches my pussy tighter, making my ass tighten around his thick cock. A pounding in my head apanies all the overwhelming sensations.


    ¡°God dammit, Nicole! Fuck!¡± Jakub loses his control. He thrusts in once, twice, and on the third stroke he stills, growling out his own release. His cock twitches in my asshole while it fills me with his hot, sticky cum.


    My breath finallyes back to me, my mind clears. I close my gaping open mouth and lick my dry lips. Slowly, I ease my hand from between my thighs and bnce my weight on both my forearms.


    Jakub¡¯s nails ease up and he whispers something, but I can¡¯t understand it.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± he says louder, easing his cock from my ass. ¡°Stay here.¡± He pats my ass and disappears into the bathroom.


    When hees back, he¡¯s holding a cloth. I rest my head on the mattress, giving him free rein over my body as he cleans between my ass cheeks and between my legs. I¡¯m sore, stretched, andpletely sated.


    While he¡¯s tossing the towels in the hamper I get under the covers and pull the nkets on his side down for him. He climbs in silently, pulling me up against his chest, and kisses my forehead before turning off the lights.


    Silence stretches between us in the dark. His breathing evens out, but he hasn¡¯t lessened his grip on me. It¡¯s like he¡¯s afraid I¡¯m going to disappear while he sleeps. And maybe he has good reason to have that fear. After all, I still haven¡¯t fully unpacked my things from my apartment.


    ¡°Wee home, Jakub,¡± I whisper into the darkness momentster when I¡¯m sure he¡¯s asleep. ¡°Our home.¡±

 104

    JakubN?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    Nicole fiddles with the napkin beside her ce setting, staring at the kitchen doors of the restaurant where we¡¯re having dinner. She wiggles in her seat, but it¡¯s not going to help her situation.


    Since she showed her willingness to use the butt plug I¡¯d bought for her, I saw no reason not to y with her.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡± I ask as I bring my beer to my lips. Her dark eyes flicker to mine and her blush deepens. Who knew my hellcat was so shy? Apparently, it only took pushing a plug up her ass for the evening to get her fullpliance without hesitation.


    ¡°No.¡± She raises her chin a fraction, but I can see the defiance glowing in her eyes. She¡¯s ufortable, but she won¡¯t admit it. Well, she will, but she thinks she won¡¯t.


    It makes this game all the more fun.


    ¡°You keep squirming in your chair. Is the cushion not good? Should I ask for a new chair?¡± I make a point of raising my hand.


    We¡¯re at the best Polish bistro in the city. Everything here is homemade. The dishes remind me of spending my weekends at my grandparents¡¯ house when I was little. No one cooks as well as my grandmother did, but the chef herees in a close second.


    ¡°No!¡± She reaches across the table and grabs hold of my arm, mming it to the table. ¡°Stop trying to embarrass me,¡± she warns before letting me go.


    I raise my eyebrow. ¡°Why would you be embarrassed?¡± I lean across the table and spread my lips with all the eagerness of a child given free rein of the candy store. ¡°Could it be because you have arge butt plug in your ass right now?¡±


    Her eyes go wide, mortification radiates from her expression, and she grabs hold of the side of the table.


    ¡°If you run off, I¡¯ll have to call you back here,¡± I warn her. She really makes this too easy for me.


    Her face might actually burst into mes, so I take some pity on her.


    ¡°Sit back and rx.¡± I pat her hand. ¡°I won¡¯t mention your situation again. But you really should stop wiggling. It¡¯s only making it worse for yourself.¡±


    Her lips scrunch together like they are getting ready to let loose a barrage of insults, but the waiter saves me from her temper. He ces a bowl of red borscht in front of her and a bowl of mushroom barley in front of me.


    Once he¡¯s gone, Nicole eases back a bit and smiles down at the soup.


    ¡°You mentioned you had a taste for it,¡± I say when she looks up at me.


    ¡°I was going to make it for us,¡± she says, picking up her spoon.


    ¡°Do you like to cook?¡± I ask, grabbing a warmed bun from the basket and tearing it in half.


    ¡°No, not really, but there are a few dishes I¡¯m pretty good at. This is one of them.¡± She sinks her spoon into the red soup and drags it across the bowl then brings it up to her lips. With the first taste, she closes her eyes. ¡°This is really good.¡± She points to the soup with her spoon.


    ¡°I told you, this ce has the best Polish food in the city.¡±


    It¡¯s not a fancy high-end restaurant, but Nicole is more at home in a family restaurant like this. The look of reprieve that washed over her face when I told her she didn¡¯t have to get dressed up for dinner told me I¡¯d chosen the right ce.


    Nicole is gorgeous when she gets all done up with her hair pinned up away from her neck, and when she drapes her curvy body with a fashionable dress. But when she¡¯s like this-her natural wavy, dark hair loose around her shoulders, small traces of mascara, andfortable shirt and jeans-she steals my breath. The woman has a natural pull I can¡¯t fight, and since she¡¯s my wife now, I don¡¯t have to.


    She seems to forget all about the plug in her ass and dives into her soup. I recalled she wanted to make the borscht for us, but she never got around to it. The opening of the new restaurant and cigar room is only a few nights away, and she¡¯s been working herself too hard to getst-minute publicity underway.


    Aside from the marketing she¡¯s been dealing with, I¡¯ve been overseeing the new hires and training of the staff. Thankfully, Nora took over the tastings and menu issues, so I didn¡¯t have to worry about all of that. But in two nights, all of our hard work is going toe to fruition. And then we can rx.


    ¡°That was amazing.¡± Nicole sits back from her empty bowl and wipes her mouth with a napkin. ¡°So good.¡±


    I push away what¡¯s left of my soup.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you liked it.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t finish yours.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saving myself for the Goabki.¡±


    She screws up her lips and shakes her head.


    ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°Cabbage isn¡¯t my thing. When I was little, I unrolled the cabbage until the meat and rice came out. I¡¯d eat that and give the cabbage leaf to my dad.¡± She takes a sip of her water. ¡°Did you order anything else?¡±


    I let my hands drop to myp under the table. If we were seated closer, I¡¯d be able to touch her, to tease her.


    ¡°Pork chops and pierogi. You¡¯re definitely a carb girl.¡±


    ¡°A carb girl?¡± Sheughs.


    ¡°Mashed potatoes, chips, noodles, you love them.¡±


    Her cheeks flush with the acknowledgement I¡¯ve been paying attention. It¡¯s not hard, noting the details of her desires, when she¡¯s the only thing around me that draws my focus.


    The restaurant is crowded, but I¡¯m always watchful of our surroundings. So when the front door of the diner opens, I nce toward it.


    My back locks.


    Nicole, seeing my reaction, checks over her shoulder. ¡°What are they doing here?¡±


    I put my hand out to still her. ¡°Don¡¯t react. Look at me, Nicole.¡±


    She turns back around, cing her hands on the table. Piotr Kaczmarek walks through the tables with that prick, Henry, waddling behind him, straight toward our table.


    ¡°Sir, your dinner will be right out.¡± The waiter stops at our table on his way to the kitchens. He must sense something¡¯s off and looks over his shoulder. ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I tell him and he shuffles off to the kitchen.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Nicole whispers.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± I loosen my shoulders and grab my beer, taking another sip. ¡°We¡¯re here for dinner.¡±


    While sipping my drink, I watch them as they maneuver around a table and keeping toward us.


    ¡°Ahh, I see we have the same tastes.¡± Piotr steps up to our table, Henry nks him to his right, standing right in front of Nicole. She doesn¡¯t give him so much as a peek, but rather keeps her focus on me.


    ¡°Imagine that. Polish men enjoying a meal at a Polish restaurant,¡± I say, not fighting my sarcastic side.


    Piotr clenches his teeth. He¡¯s used to men scrambling to give up their seats for him, to bend a knee to his power, but I¡¯m not that sort of man. And he doesn¡¯t have that sort of influence here.


    ¡°Hello, Nicole,¡± Henry dares to say to my wife.


    ¡°You don¡¯t talk to her,¡± I say, moving my re up to Piotr. ¡°I see you found him.¡±


    ¡°I did. We¡¯re celebrating tonight, and he¡¯s headed back to New York in the morning.¡±


    ¡°That is something to celebrate,¡± Nicole says, lifting her ss of wine and toasting the air before drinking. I press my foot on top of hers beneath the table. Her mouth isn¡¯t helping.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting married,¡± Henry says, still staring at my wife like she¡¯s a piece of veal cutlet he wants to devour. My irritation is quickly morphing into outrage that he dares to disrespect me so openly.


    ¡°My condolences to your future wife.¡± Nicole turns a sharine smile up at him. Henry¡¯s eyes darken.


    Piotrughs and nudges Henry. ¡°You thought you¡¯d capture this one? She¡¯s strong, much like her father.¡±


    Nicole¡¯s bravado drops at the edges when her father is mentioned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let us stop you from your meal,¡± I say to Piotr.


    He shrugs. ¡°That¡¯s all right. We¡¯re still waiting for a guest. Victor Stephenson is joining us.¡± He jerks his hand outward and looks at his watch. ¡°He¡¯s running a littlete.¡±


    The hairs on my neck stand up. This fucker is having a meeting with the union rep he was told to stay away from.


    ¡°Then I suppose you don¡¯t want toe to an agreement with my family.¡± Victor Stephenson is on the board of directors in charge of new construction at the Willis Tower. My father and Dominik have been in talks with him for months.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see what he has to say. Maybe a deal is worth the trouble, maybe it¡¯s not.¡± Piotr turns his beady little eyes toward Nicole. ¡°It¡¯s such a shame you didn¡¯t see through your agreement with Henry. Your father was such a loyal soldier to the Kaczmarek family. I wonder what he would think about this new arrangement you¡¯ve made for yourself.¡±


    Nicole¡¯s smile freezes. She gives a pointed look to Henry before turning her full fury on Piotr, all while keeping a cold grin on her face.


    ¡°My father would wonder why the family he was so loyal to would send men to hurt his daughter. He would wonder why a man he thought was good enough for his daughter would treat her so disrespectfully.¡± She arches her eyebrow. ¡°And he¡¯d wonder why a family he thought was so honorable would be turning their back on long-standing agreements.¡±

 105

    Piotr¡¯s mouth twitches, he¡¯s ready to unleash, but I get to my feet, bumping into his shoulder. He steps back but his re stays aimed at Nicole.


    ¡°Your wife doesn¡¯t know her ce,¡± he says to me, his ent thickening with his anger.


    ¡°Her ce is with me and my family, she knows it well. As you said, her father taught her loyalty.¡± I gesture toward our waiter who stands at the kitchen doors, fear frozen on his face. The diners near us have halted their conversations. Utensils have been tucked back on the tables. Everyone waits to see what will happen between us.


    ¡°I believe Mr. Kaczmarek will be needing a table. I think the one near the restrooms will work for him and his friend here.¡±All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    The waiter steps forward toward us, his eyes pleading with Piotr not to be angry with him, to not cause any destruction in their bistro.


    ¡°No need. There are better restaurants than this pit. I¡¯ll take our guest somewhere more civilized.¡± Piotr gives a disgusted look toward the waiter. ¡°You¡¯ll be hearing from us, Staszek.¡± Piotr turns on his heel and with an annoyed shove at Henry, they make their way from the diner.


    I watch them as they walk past the front windows overlooking the street until they disappear before I sit back in my chair.


    ¡°Sir?¡± The waiter¡¯s voice shakes when he gains my attention.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take our meals to go. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Of course. One minute.¡± He nods and hurries back into the kitchen. The other diners quietly go back to their meals, casting small nces toward us.


    ¡°Why did my father ever think that spineless ass would be someone I¡¯d want to spend the rest of my life with?¡± Nicole asks, clearly angry at our night being intruded upon.


    ¡°Did he do a lot of work with him?¡±


    ¡°Not that I know of. I was never really apprised of what was really going on. When Dad got sick, I think he wanted totch onto anything that would keep me safe. Whatever he saw in Henry must have been a mirage.¡±


    I keep an eye on the front door.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re lucky he didn¡¯t make you marry him before he passed away.¡±


    ¡°Dad wasn¡¯t like that. He didn¡¯t think the way Henry does. Women aren¡¯t just for wedding and bedding.¡±


    I smile at her choice of words. ¡°Your father definitely didn¡¯t raise you to be anyone¡¯s wilted flower.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She grins. ¡°He didn¡¯t.¡±


    I grab her hand and squeeze. ¡°Regardless, your mouth almost caused a problem.¡±


    She tilts her head and gives me a sultry smile. ¡°Maybe you should do something about that¡­ I mean if you don¡¯t teach my mouth a lesson¡­ it could get us into all sorts of trouble.¡±


    She¡¯s teasing me.


    After all that, the woman is trying to rile me into a sexual game.


    ¡°Here you go, sir.¡± Our food is brought to us in takeout containers already bagged.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I hand over enough cash to take care of the meal and extra for the inconvenience of having to watch Piotr¡¯s pissing contest.


    After he¡¯s left, I pick up the food then offer my hand to my wife, helping her to her feet.


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right,¡± I say as we step into the warm evening. ¡°Let¡¯s get home so I can punish that mouth of yours.¡± I reach lower to her ass, pushing the exact spot that will remind her once again of the thick plug nestled in her tight ass. ¡°And then I¡¯ll punish your ass.¡±


    Nicole


    He¡¯s lost his damn mind!


    The grand opening is tonight, and my husband has gone too far.


    ¡°I understand, Mrs. Staszek, but your husband gave instructions you are not to leave the apartment yet.¡± One of his soldier boys repeats the same sentence over and over as I try to argue with him. As soon as I stepped out of the elevator this refrigerator-shaped goon blocked me from making my way to the exit.


    ¡°What exactly does yet mean?¡± I argue back, already pulling out my phone from my purse. Jakub said nothing to me this afternoon about needing to wait for a specified time to go to the club.


    I throw a finger up in the air to shut the brute up while I press my phone to my ear. I don¡¯t want his excuses; I want Jakub to exin to me why he has me locked up again.


    He¡¯d finally stopped being such an overbearing ass and let me go about my daily activities so long as one of his soldiers stayed with me. But now he¡¯s quietly barricading me inside again.


    ¡°Nicole.¡± Jakub¡¯s deep voice answers. ¡°Don¡¯t start yelling yet.¡± He cuts me off before I can get one word out.


    ¡°Exin,¡± I order, folding my arms over my chest. I¡¯m dressed for the opening with a new dress I let Lena talk me into, and a pair of heels so damn high I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m going to sprain an ankle by the time the night¡¯s over.


    ¡°After I left you this afternoon, I got wind of some activity. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s safe for you to be here tonight. It¡¯s going to be busy and crowded. If Piotr or Henry show up-¡±


    ¡°Oh, for shit¡¯s sake, Jakub!¡± I yell into the phone. ¡°I¡¯m sick of this. I¡¯m not going to hide away in your damn apartment the rest of my life.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the rest of your life-¡±


    ¡°Of course it is! There will always be a threat, Jakub. Jesus Christ, we live over a fucking warehouse that I¡¯m sure would get you a few dozen years in prison if it was ever raided. This is your life. This is whates with it.¡±


    ¡°Stop yelling at me.¡± His order falls t, because I¡¯m done.


    ¡°No. I won¡¯t. And I won¡¯t let you keep me locked up here anymore.¡± I step forward but his security men block me.


    ¡°It¡¯s for your protection. Kasia and Lena aren¡¯t going to be here tonight either.¡±

 106

    ¡°Stop yelling at me.¡± His order falls t, because I¡¯m done.


    ¡°No. I won¡¯t. And I won¡¯t let you keep me locked up here anymore.¡± I step forward but his security men block me.


    ¡°It¡¯s for your protection. Kasia and Lena aren¡¯t going to be here tonight either.¡±


    ¡°Is that supposed to make me feel better? Your sister and your sister-inw are willing to y sweet little submissive wives so I should too?¡±


    ¡°Nicole. I don¡¯t have time to argue with you about this.¡±


    ¡°Tell your goons to let me pass.¡± The anger balled up in my chest loosens a bit and rolls right into panic. ¡°Jakub, I worked on this opening. I have bloggers and press to greet. This is my job, let me do my job.¡±


    A hefty sighes through the phone. ¡°It¡¯s not safe, Nicole. I won¡¯t put you in jeopardy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m done, Jakub,¡± I say, turning away from the men and facing the wall. ¡°We said this was temporary. You said it was just until Henry got off my back. He¡¯s back in New York, he¡¯s getting married. I don¡¯t need your protection anymore.¡± I pause, wait for him to say something, but there¡¯s nothing but dead air. ¡°Your family is causing more trouble for me than protection.¡± I hit the elevator call button.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about thister.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No, Jakub. We won¡¯t. There is noter.¡± I step into the elevator, sticking my tongue out at the dutiful soldiers as the doors slide closed.


    ¡°It¡¯s one night, Nicole.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s one too many. I¡¯ve let this go on too long, letting you think you can control this, that you can control me.¡± I blink back a sudden attack of tears. ¡°I¡¯m not doing it anymore.¡±


    Before he can answer, I click off the call. Leaning against the side of the elevator, I close my eyes, letting the hot tears roll down my cheeks. This pain, this clenching in my chest, sucks the strength from me. I was all ready to celebrate with him, with his family. My family.


    I step off the elevator into the apartment and throw my clutch at the couch as I pass it on my way to the stairs. They aren¡¯t my family. He¡¯s not really mine. And I¡¯m not his.


    This was all such a stupid arrangement. Marriage for protection? What the hell was I thinking? His protection is a locked cell, and I won¡¯t be caged forever.


    My phone dances on the dresser as another text messagees through, then it rings, but I ignore all of it. Jakub can keep trying to get me, but it¡¯s toote.


    He¡¯ll always want to protect me from things he has no control over. There will always be an enemy to watch out for.


    I leave all the clothes he¡¯s bought me and only stuff my own clothing into my bag. Dressed in a more reasonable outfit of jeans and t-shirt, Ice up my gym shoes. I brush out the curls in my hair and pull it back into a high ponytail.


    A sob breaks free from my chest, but I suck it back as best I can. I don¡¯t have time to break down. I have to get out of here, and clear of Chicago. Slinging the bag across my back, I shove my phone in my back pocket and grab my wallet.


    I¡¯ve been stashing my paychecks into my checking ount; I should have enough for a ne ticket to California, or maybe south. Maybe I should get out of the country.


    All set to go, I open the window in the living room where the fire escape is. Jakub removed the extra babysitters at the side of the building where the fire escape leads, which makes my escape from the apartment easier. But once I¡¯m in the gangway and I roll thedder back up in ce, I realize there are cameras at both entrances of the building, and the guys inside will see me as soon as I walk past their electronic eyes.


    I grab my phone, pressing myself against the building as t as I can. The sun is still high enough in the sky, I¡¯ll be spotted if anyone looks down the narrow path between the buildings. As fast as I can, I fire up the car service app on my phone and request a ride.


    Luck is on my side. There¡¯s a car only a few blocks away. By the time I get up to the front of the building, I see the ck Civic pull to the curb. The app logo shows brightly on the windshield. Holding my bag against my body, I hurry to the car and jump into the back.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I say, ducking down.


    ¡°Hi. O¡¯Hare?¡± the middle-aged man asks while messing with the AC controls.


    ¡°Yes.¡± The front door of the building opens and one of Jakub¡¯s men steps outside. ¡°I¡¯m running reallyte; can you get me there as fast as possible?¡±


    He looks over his shoulder at me and smiles. Most of his teeth have rotted away and the ones left don¡¯t look so great either.


    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± he says and pulls away from the curb, faster than I expect him to. I¡¯m thrown back in the seat.


    I settle into the seat, resting my head against the coolness of the window. What the hell am I doing? Running away again?


    Should I shoot him a text while I¡¯m on the ne? My chest aches, my entire body hurts. I¡¯m being too rash. I¡¯m overreacting.


    I need to get my ass back to the apartment. His men will tell him what happened, and he¡¯ll rage at me for a bit. But it will be all right. Or I can go to the club. Yes. I¡¯ll go to the club, change into something nicer. I¡¯ll get what I want by being at the opening, and Jakub will have a solid reason to beat my ass when we get home.


    But in the end, we¡¯ll be okay. I¡¯ll be okay.


    No more running.


    Finallying to my senses, I look out the window. Really look at where the driver is headed.


    My stomach drops.


    ¡°Uh, this isn¡¯t the way to the airport,¡± I say, leaning forward and touching his shoulder.


    ¡°I know,¡± he says tly.


    ¡°Look. I don¡¯t want to go there anyway. Take this next left. I¡¯m going to the Katfish club.¡±


    He shakes his head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean no?¡±


    The car pulls to a stop at a red light at an empty intersection. The stores are closed for night already, and there aren¡¯t any people around. This entire area is practically abandoned.


    I grab the door handle, but it won¡¯t budge. The door won¡¯t open.


    ¡°Hey!¡± I say, kicking the back of his seat. ¡°Open the door.¡±


    The light turns green.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Stop saying that! Turn this car around!¡±


    His answer is to turn the car radio on.


    ¡°Let me out,¡± I say, my voice shaking. I can¡¯t catch my breath, and my heart is somewhere where my stomach is supposed to be.


    ¡°Sit back, Nicole. Enjoy the ride. It will take some time to get to the railcar.¡±


    ¡°Railcar?¡± My voice squeaks.


    ¡°Yes. Mr. Kaczmarek would like a word.¡±


    Ice runs through me. ¡°No,¡± I say, shaking my head. This can¡¯t be happening. This isn¡¯t happening.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he says, looking at me through the rearview mirror.


    I can¡¯t just sit here and let this happen, so I attack. Lunging forward between the front seats, I grapple for the wheel. He barks orders at me in Polish, but I¡¯m not in the right frame of mind to obey the creep. I get hold of the wheel and jerk it to the right.


    His foot presses the gas during our struggle and the car spins, turning too fast. The car lifts up onto two wheels. I barely manage to lift my head before I see the traffic lighting right at us.


    Or we¡¯re headed at it.


    In one instant I¡¯m screaming at the prick still hitting me and trying to get me away from him, and in the next I¡¯m floating.


    A sharp pain ricochets through my chest.


    And then there¡¯s nothing.

 107

    Jakub


    The kitchen is alive with activity as dishes are prepped and ted. Servers hurry in and out with requests then rush back out with dishes for tables.


    The restaurant opening is a hit. Food critics are here and from what Nora reports, they are more than happy with their meals. Good news from the cigar bar upstairs repeats the sess story of down here. It¡¯s all going perfectly.


    Exactly as Nicole wanted it to go.


    And she¡¯s not here to see it all.


    ¡°Here you are.¡± Nora finds me standing in the back of the kitchen.


    ¡°It¡¯s busy as hell out there. I was just getting in the way.¡± After making the obligatory rounds with the customers, I ducked out. They don¡¯t need me watching them over their shoulders while they taste the veal.


    ¡°The cigar room is booming. And next door is seeing an increase, too. They¡¯re eating here then going next door to dance off the calories.¡± She beams with pride. And she should. Most of this is her doing. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t keep Nicole away, Jakub,¡± Nora says, reminding me of her mind-reading skills. ¡°She deserves to see how well everything is going. And there¡¯s been requests from several of the reporters to meet her. It looks weird that she¡¯s not here.¡±


    ¡°What did you tell them?¡± Making her look unprofessional is thest thing I want for her. But Dominik made it clear the Kaczmareks could show up tonight. I can¡¯t concentrate on her safety and the Kaczmareks at the same time. She¡¯s safer at home.


    Dominik enters the kitchen and heads straight for us.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she would have loved to be here, Nora. But she couldn¡¯t.¡± I won¡¯t go into details, and Nora is wise enough not to dive into them. She frowns but leaves me without any furtherment.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I ask when Dominik approaches.


    ¡°Your phone¡¯s not working back here?¡± he asks, concern pulling his brows together.


    I grab my phone out of my pocket. It¡¯s dead. ¡°Fuck. I thought I had it charged.¡± Thest time I used it was when I talked with Nicole. She¡¯s angry, but she¡¯ll get over it. We¡¯ll talk when I get home and I¡¯ll let her rage at me for a bit. She deserves to have her anger on this one, but in the end, she¡¯ll forgive me. She¡¯ll understand.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I ask when his frown deepens. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Nicole took off,¡± he says simply, as though he¡¯s telling me the Bears won a game.


    ¡°What do you mean, took off?¡± My first instinct is to get out of this kitchen and get home.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°I mean, she left. Took the fire escape, got in a car, and left.¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± Except she would. She meant what she said. It¡¯s over.


    ¡°You have a tracker on her phone?¡± he asks me.


    Iugh. ¡°Why would I need that? She¡¯s not Kasia or Lena. I didn¡¯t force her into this. She wouldn¡¯t run away from me.¡± It¡¯s a stupid thought. Of course she would. She did before.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Dominik¡¯s phone goes off and his brows knit together tighter as he answers it. His voice deepens as his lips pull into a thin line. ¡°You fucking asshole-¡± Whoever he¡¯s talking to cuts him off. His chest puffs out as his shoulders roll back. Whatever is happening, it¡¯s pissing him off.


    He squeezes his phone and closes his eyes. The call ends, but his face is white.


    My blood runs cold.


    ¡°What is it, Dominik!¡± I demand.


    ¡°Nicole didn¡¯t get in a cab. It was one of the Kaczmarek¡¯s men.¡± His words hit me hard in the chest and I take a half step back. Air eludes me.


    ¡°They have her?¡±


    Dominik nods. ¡°Not just her.¡±


    Nicole


    There must be an icepick in my eye. What else could be causing this crippling pain in my head?


    I grab my head with both my hands and try to open my eyes. There isn¡¯t a part of me that doesn¡¯t hurt.


    In a sh, it alles back to me. The driver. The car ident. The blinding pain.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± I roll to my side. Another pain shoots through my chest and when I suck in air it amplifies. I force myself to sit up. I¡¯m on a concrete floor, it¡¯s dirty and stinks of oil and old gasoline, but at least I¡¯m still alive.


    I push myself to my feet, pausing when the pain in my ribs steals my breath. First, I need to find out where I am, then I need to find a way out. The room I¡¯m in has a single bulb hanging from the middle of the ceiling. It seems to be on itsst leg though, and flickers constantly.


    A muted groan startles me and I freeze. My eyes finally adjust to the dim lighting and I see him in the corner of the room.


    ¡°Mr. Staszek!¡± Ignoring my own pain, I rush to my father-inw huddled in the corner beneath dark nkets. I shove them away from him. They¡¯re stained and reek of chemicals.


    His hair is a tangled mess, and a dark purple bruise already takes up half his cheek.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I ask stupidly.


    He nods, but when he looks at me, I see the ssy look. He¡¯s high. Really high.


    ¡°Did they give you anything?¡± I ask, shoving away thest of the nkets. He¡¯s been stripped down to his white undershirt and cks, but I don¡¯t care about that. I search his arms for needle marks.


    ¡°Neck,¡± he says in a faint voice that sounds like it¡¯s taking all of his energy to use. ¡°Something in my neck.¡±


    I grab his head and tilt it to the side. A small bruise on his neck just below his earlobe. Who knows what they gave him, but more than likely it was just to knock him out.


    ¡°Are you okay otherwise?¡± I ask, trying to look him over for injury. He¡¯s not a frail man and having me take care of him like this will probably bruise his ego, but it needs to be done.


    ¡°Yes, Nicole. Yes,¡± he says and starts coughing. He waves me away from him and I step back to give him air.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I ask him. There are no windows in the room, but there is a wooden door. We must be in some sort of storage room, maybe a shed?


    ¡°I was on my way to the party. We stopped for gas.¡± He wipes his brow. ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything else.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know who took you then?¡± I ask, moving to the door. It¡¯s not thick wood. I try the handle just to be sure, but it¡¯s locked. Maybe I can kick it down. It¡¯s then I realize my shoes are gone and I¡¯m barefoot.


    They left me with my clothes on, but took my shoes? Maybe they think barefoot women can¡¯t run? Idiots.


    ¡°I¡¯m so tired,¡± Joseph says and his head rolls to the side, his eyes close again.


    ¡°No, stay awake.¡± I hurry back over to him and crouch down. I need him.


    ¡°He¡¯s gonna be asleep for a while.¡± Henry¡¯s voice wafts through the air from the door.


    I spin up to my feet, nearly tripping myself in the process to find Henry standing in the doorway, a gun in his right hand and a cigarette burning in his left.


    ¡°Henry.¡± I have never felt so nauseated by the sight of anyone in my life. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±

 108

    ¡°I¡¯m so tired,¡± Joseph says and his head rolls to the side, his eyes close again.


    ¡°No, stay awake.¡± I hurry back over to him and crouch down. I need him.


    ¡°He¡¯s gonna be asleep for a while.¡± Henry¡¯s voice wafts through the air from the door.


    I spin up to my feet, nearly tripping myself in the process to find Henry standing in the doorway, a gun in his right hand and a cigarette burning in his left.


    ¡°Henry.¡± I have never felt so nauseated by the sight of anyone in my life. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±


    He lifts a shoulder. ¡°Well. I think you can see pretty inly what¡¯s happening.¡±


    I look down at Joseph, then back to Henry. ¡°Why¡­ why would you do this?¡±


    He shrugs. ¡°You chose their family. So¡­ yeah.¡±


    He¡¯s drunk. I can smell the booze on him. His blink is slow, and he inhales a long breath through his nose.


    ¡°Joseph needed to learn a lesson. So did you. So, I¡¯m killing two birds with one stone.¡± He brings his cigarette up to his lips and takes a long hit. The lit end glows bright orange.


    There¡¯s enough light behind Henry I can tell we¡¯re in a warehouse or storage building of some sort. It¡¯s notrge, I can make out the main door not too far off behind him. Maybe if I run full charge at him, I can knock him down and get out.


    But I¡¯d have to leave Joseph behind, and that¡¯s not an option.


    ¡°Henry, is this because I left New York? You know I had nothing to do with the cops pinching you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, I know,¡± he says, taking another drag of his smoke.


    I blink a few times. ¡°Then why all of this?¡±


    ¡°You should be mine. It¡¯s not right-you picking one of them over me. It¡¯s not right.¡± He taps the end of his cigarette, letting the extra ash fall to the ground.


    There¡¯s gasoline in the room, all around us I think from the strong scent. If he drops that cigarette, the entire ce could go up in mes.


    ¡°Henry.¡± I step closer to him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let him go and you and I can talk about all of this. Hurting him will only cause trouble between everyone.¡±


    Henry looks over to Joseph who drifts in and out of sleep. ¡°He¡¯s already hurt.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but if you can get him out of here, send him home, then it won¡¯t be so much trouble, right?¡± It¡¯s all a t-out lie. Henry signed his death warrant the second he touched Joseph. But in his inebriated state, I might get him to believe me.


    Henry takes another pull of his cigarette. ¡°I can¡¯t. Piotr said to keep him. He wants a meeting.¡±


    ¡°A meeting? Piotr wanted you to kidnap him for a meeting?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Henry whines. ¡°He just wanted a meeting with him. But the old fucker wouldn¡¯t havee willingly. I had to do it.¡±


    ¡°And me?¡± Talking about Joseph is sending him into a spiral, so I need to pull him into a different direction.


    ¡°You never should have been with that prick. I hear you were fucking him before you moved to New York. Is that right? You were fucking that asshole?¡±


    He sets angry eyes on me.


    ¡°Henry.¡± I take a breath; even a small one hurts like hell. ¡°Look. Whatever is going on here, we have to stop it, right? We have to call Jakub or Dominik so they can get Joseph. Then maybe you and I can go, we can leave. You know I was leaving, right?¡±


    He looks at me with narrowed eyes. ¡°We intercepted your app; that was smart, right?¡±


    We aren¡¯t getting anywhere.


    I look around the room; there has to be something I can use against him.


    ¡°Get away from her!¡± Joseph grumbles from the corner, sending himself into another coughing fit.


    Henry stumbles forward, pointing his gun at Joseph.


    ¡°Shut the fuck up, old man!¡± He¡¯s unsteady on his feet but catches himself just before tumbling forward on to his face. But he¡¯s not done with Joseph.


    I hear the click of the hammer being pulled back and react. No time for thinking or worrying. I grab hold of the first thing I can, a piece of wood on the floor and swing it full throttle at Henry¡¯s head.


    It strikes him, throwing him to the ground. The gun goes off, hitting the pile of nkets I pulled off Joseph when I first found him.


    It all probably takes a second, but in my head, before my eyes, everything moves as though time crawls. By the time my brain catches up with reality, I¡¯m staring down at Henry, unconscious on the floor. The gun spun away when it hit the floor and I grab for it before Henryes to.


    ¡°Nicole,¡± Joseph rasps. ¡°Gasoline.¡± He points with a shaky finger behind me.


    Henry¡¯s cigarette has been flung to the ground,nding in what was probably a patch of gasoline. mes burst into the room, then follow a trail out into the rest of the building we¡¯re in.


    We have to get out. Smoke is already filling the room.


    ¡°Joseph, we have to go.¡± Flipping the safety, I tuck the gun into my jeans, and squat down beside hm. ¡°Can you stand?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Yes.¡± He nods, but as I wrap my arm around his middle to help him, he calls out in pain. I shove away more of the nkets. His leg is broken.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I bite my lip. I can¡¯t leave him here. We have to get outside, away from this building. Who the hell knows what else is in here.


    ¡°Okay, okay!¡± I say, but I¡¯m talking to myself. My mind is spinning with ideas and worries. ¡°Push up on your good leg, we¡¯ll get you out.¡± I take his arm and wrap it around my shoulders, hugging him around his torso. ¡°Put your weight on me,¡± I order him.


    ¡°I¡¯m too heavy.¡±


    ¡°Do it!¡± I yell into his face.


    His eyes go wide. I¡¯m not sure if anyone¡¯s ever yelled at him like that before and lived to tell the tale. But he nods. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I count to three, and we¡¯re on the move. Joseph screams as he gets up to his feet. He¡¯s taller than me, and bigger, but I take on as much of his weight as I can stand while maneuvering him out the room. The mes are licking up the wood door that¡¯s wide open, leaving the doorway safe. If we waited much longer, we¡¯d be fighting the ze while trapped inside.


    The open space of the warehouse is filled with ck smoke and mes. Boxes and pallets act as kindling around us. The path to the door is clear, but we have to hurry.


    ¡°Almost there,¡± I say, taking a deep breath. Instantly I break out coughing and Joseph tries to stop us. ¡°No! Keep going,¡± I say, mostly dragging him to the door. My muscles rage at me, but I¡¯m running on enough adrenaline to keep going.


    My shoulders hurt from his weight, my ribs are killing me with every breath I take, and my lungs burn from the hot air I¡¯m breathing, but when we get to the door, I¡¯m able to get it open and yank us outside.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Fresh air greets us as we stumble forward.


    A pair of headlights blinds me as a car pulls into the gravel lot before us.


    ¡°A little more,¡± I tell Joseph. ¡°We have to get away from the building.¡± And maybe away from the car. If it¡¯s Piotring to finish the job Henry fucked up, we¡¯re screwed. I¡¯m out of energy, and Joseph¡¯s too weak.


    ¡°Nicole!¡± Jakub¡¯s voicees from the car as the door flings open.


    ¡°Fuck! Dad!¡± Another voice, deeper than Jakub¡¯ses next and then the two of them rush at us. Another car pulls in behind them, but I¡¯m focused on Jakub.


    ¡°He¡¯s hurt,¡± I tell him, helping Joseph to the ground.


    ¡°Dad, where are you hurt?¡± Dominik is the second voice, and he goes straight for Joseph.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine. Check her. She¡¯s hurt too,¡± Joseph says, but I¡¯m already being grabbed by Jakub.


    ¡°What hurts?¡±


    I wince as he twists my torso. ¡°Everything,¡± I say and pull away from his groping. He grabs my face, tilting it.


    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding.¡±


    ¡°Nicole!¡± A shrill voice screams from inside the building.


    ¡°Henry. I hit him,¡± I say. ¡°Fire.¡±


    Another car has pulled up while Jakub is looking me over. I can¡¯t breathe, so I bend over, grab my knees.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get you to a hospital,¡± Jakub says, crouching down in front of me, wiping the wisps of hair from my face. ¡°Breathe slow, Nicole. Easy breaths.¡±


    I shake my head. Nothing is easy right now. It hurts. So much.


    ¡°Nicole! No!¡± Henry¡¯s voice is closer, but I¡¯m too tired trying to breathe to care. Jakub¡¯s here. He¡¯ll keep me safe. He won¡¯t let Henry near me. He¡¯ll be here now with me.


    I sink to my knees, sucking in a clean breath but it hitches and I¡¯m coughing again. Searing pain spreads up my arm, but it¡¯s theck of air that drowns me.


    Sirens re off in the distance.


    Henry screams my name again.


    There¡¯s a gunshot.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whisper and close my eyes. I never should have left the apartment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± It¡¯s all I can say, but it¡¯s not enough and I don¡¯t feel Jakub¡¯s hands on me anymore.


    My eyelids are too heavy to open, so I let my mind take me away. We¡¯re safe now. Just a little nap.


    I¡¯m safe now.

 109

    Jakub


    The smells of the hospital makes my skin crawl. Lena says it¡¯s because of the cleaners they used to sterilize the rooms, but it¡¯s not chemical. It¡¯s death.


    And this ce reeks of it.


    ¡°Jakub.¡± Lena steps into the private room they¡¯ve put Nicole in and ces her hand on my shoulder. In the bed, Nicole sleeps deeply. There¡¯s a tube tucked into her nostrils to help give her oxygen. Bandages cover her left arm where the mes of the fire licked at her while she struggled to get my father out of the storage building.


    An annex building. That¡¯s where the fucking prick took my father, my wife to do God knows what he had nned. We¡¯ll never truly know; my aim was spot on. He took a bullet right to his head, dead before he hit the ground.


    ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Lena¡¯s gentleness hurts. I don¡¯t deserve anyforts. Not while my wife sleeps so deeply, so far from me, because of the smoke inhtion, the bruised ribs she suffered, the burn on her arm. All these injuries are my fault.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I say and squirm in my seat beside Nicole¡¯s bed. She¡¯s facing away from me; the light from the single window lights up her cheek. Another bruise has formed, one I didn¡¯t see before. My teeth clench.


    ¡°You need to rest.¡± My sister pulls a chair from the wall to sit beside me. Leaning forward, she slips her hand through the bedrail and lightly grabs Nicole¡¯s still hand. ¡°She looks better today. More color in her cheeks.¡±


    I nod. She looks like she¡¯s been in a car ident and through a fire. That¡¯s how she looks, but my sister is trying to make me feel better.


    I don¡¯t deserve it.


    ¡°Has she woken up yet?¡± Lena asks.


    I wipe my hand over my mouth. Exhaustion has sunk into my bones. ¡°Yeah. She was awake this morning for a bit, but the pain meds make her so sleepy,¡± I exin, looking up at the IV hanging beside her bed.


    ¡°How long do they want to keep her in here?¡± She knows I¡¯d rather have Nicole at home to recover. Hospitals aren¡¯t something we use, but the fire had been reported before we were able to secure the area. Once they were on scene, it would have raised more eyebrows to not have her attended to. We left men behind to clean up the story and mess with the cops, keeping the truth of the matter private.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I blink a few times and stretch out my back. ¡°First she needs to be able to stay awake long enough to eat, I guess.¡± I gesture at the tray of untouched Jell-O and oatmeal they brought her this morning.


    ¡°She¡¯s going to be all right, Jakub.¡± Lena lets go of Nicole¡¯s hand and sinks into her chair beside me, turning with her leg bent so she can stare at me. ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    I raise my eyebrow in response. She can¡¯t be serious.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t do this to her.¡±


    ¡°No. I just caused her to run away from me, making her easy to nab off the street, and then the pricks were able to hurt her to get back at me.¡± Heavy guilt weighs down my words. And they should. ¡°She deserves better than this,¡± I say in a hushed voice. ¡°Look at her, Lena.¡± I turn back to my wife. Bruised and hurt. All because she was with me.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°Her crazy ex-boyfriend did this,¡± Lena points out. ¡°Have you thought about that? That this is because of him and not you?¡±


    ¡°Henry was acting on Piotr¡¯s orders.¡± That¡¯s not entirely true, but I know Piotr has involvement.


    ¡°Micah says he thinks Henry went rogue. This isn¡¯t Piotr¡¯s sort of thing. And taking Dad? That makes no sense.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Micah says so?¡± I ask, unable to keep the bitterness from my tone.


    ¡°Yes. And he¡¯s right, I think. We¡¯ll have to wait until Dominik tells us what¡¯s going on. He¡¯s been on the phone arguing with people, ordering men around.¡± She waves a hand. ¡°Being Dominik.¡±


    I sigh hard. ¡°How is Dad?¡± He¡¯s on another floor. I haven¡¯t left Nicole¡¯s side since the ambnce brought us to the hospital.


    ¡°They¡¯re doing tests, but you know him. He says he¡¯s fine.¡± She moves her gaze back to Nicole. ¡°He worries about her. She saved him, Jakub. If she hadn¡¯t been able to get him out of there-¡± Her words get choked off and she looks away. We both know what would have happened. He would be dead.


    I grab her hand and squeeze. ¡°He¡¯s going to be all right. He¡¯s too stubborn not to be.¡±


    She gives me a watery smile. ¡°I know.¡±


    Nicole fidgets beneath her nkets, her head rolls toward me. But she¡¯s still asleep.


    ¡°So is she,¡± I say. A suffocating hurt takes hold of me. With a deep need to feel her, I get up from my chair, lean over the rail, and brush her hair from her face. Her skin is soft; the small white bandage on her forehead hides the gash she endured when the car hit the light post.


    The image of the car shes in my mind. The driver didn¡¯t survive. Nicole was lucky on that front, but Henry had been near enough to see the ident and dragged her to the storage building.


    ¡°She wanted to get divorced,¡± I say when the silence of the room suffocates me too much.


    ¡°What?¡± Lena asks, surprise in her voice.


    ¡°She only agreed to marry me because I said it would be temporary. I didn¡¯t mean it, but I didn¡¯t want to drag her to the altar.¡± I nce at her briefly.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t dragged,¡± she says quietly. ¡°Nudged maybe.¡±


    I huff. It¡¯s the closest thing to augh I can manage.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she doesn¡¯t want one now. I saw how much she cares for you, Jakub,¡± she assures me.


    I shake my head, running the back of my knuckles across Nicole¡¯s cheekbone. So sweet. So beautiful.


    ¡°Before she left the apartment, she told me we were done. She said she didn¡¯t want to live like this.¡± I lower my voice. Nicole needs her rest. She needs to heal.


    ¡°She was mad, Jakub.¡± Lena cane up with all the excuses she wants, but it can¡¯t cover up the truth.


    ¡°She was packed. She climbed down the fire escape to get away from me, Lena. From what I could tell on her phone, she requested a car to take her to O¡¯Hare. You don¡¯t go to the airport unless you¡¯re getting on a ne.¡±


    ¡°Okay, well, then when she wakes up you tell her how you feel.¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°You tell her you love her.¡± Lena pushes my shoulder. ¡°You tell her, and she¡¯ll change her mind, Jakub. You¡¯ll talk to each other. You¡¯ll make this right.¡±


    I look at my little sister. The little brat who used to throw water balloons off the balcony of my parents¡¯ bedroom with me at our brother below. When did she get so grown up?


    ¡°I do love her,¡± I say, the words scraping against my throat. Because it¡¯s no small matter. ¡°Which is why she can¡¯t be with me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lena grabs my arm. ¡°Jakub, don¡¯t be stupid.¡±


    Lena¡¯s phone dings at the same time mine does. She checks hers while I ignore it. The only thing that matters right now is Nicole. Everything else can wait.


    ¡°It¡¯s Dominik. I¡¯ll go up to Dad¡¯s room and see what¡¯s going on. Don¡¯t do anything. Wait for her to get better. Take her home. Tell her how you feel about her. This will work out, Jakub. But do not give up.¡±


    I run the tip of my finger down Nicole¡¯s nose. Her eyes flutter, but she only sighs softly and turns away again.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be up there soon,¡± I say. When Lena tries to argue, I put my hand up. ¡°Go. Dad and Dominik need you.¡±


    She frowns but leaves me to stand over my wife, saying my goodbyes.

 110

    Nicole


    ¡°You should be resting.¡± The home nurse, Ratched-or whatever her name is-frowns when she sees me shuffling toward the kitchen.


    I put my hand up. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Rx.¡±


    She sits back into the recliner in the living room with a deep crease in her forehead.


    While the bruises and cuts are healing well, my bruised ribs are giving me more trouble. But I¡¯ve been stuck in the bedroom for three days now, and I can¡¯t stand another minute of it. The doctor said not to lie around in order to keep from creating other troubles, but movement is hard. Especially with the Nurse Ratched insisting she do everything for me.


    ¡°Has my husband called?¡± I ask while opening the fridge.


    Jakub hasn¡¯t been home since I was brought home from the hospital. He¡¯d been by my room and told me he hired home care for me because he had some things to take care of. It¡¯s been three days and I haven¡¯t heard a word from him.


    When I woke up in the hospital, he was there, looking worn and tired and so worried I felt guilty for it. He smiled when I said his name, and when he touched my cheek, the warmth of his hand against my skin spread through my entire body. It was like I was being lifted up with just his simple touch.


    I tried to apologize, but he wouldn¡¯t let me talk. He just shook his head, kissed my forehead, and told me to rest.


    ¡°No, but a package arrived for you. It¡¯s on the counter.¡± She waves her hand to the kitchen ind. ¡°Do you want me to make you something to eat?¡± She starts to get up.


    ¡°Thanks, no. I can do it. Really. I¡¯m not sure what they want you to do babysitting me like this.¡± I keep my voice light. She¡¯s overbearing, but it¡¯s her job. She¡¯s just trying to help.


    I find the thick envelope on the counter she¡¯s talking about and pull it closer. I tear into it. Several documents are bound together with a rubber band and a note card on top.


    * * *


    Nicole. I¡¯m keeping my word. The danger¡¯s gone now, you¡¯re free. A courier will be by to pick these up in the morning. Once I have everything filed, your settlement will be transferred to your bank ount. Stay at the apartment for as long as you want. Nora will help you find another job if you want or keep working. I¡¯ll give you all the space you need.


    -J


    * * *


    My vision blurs from tears flooding my eyes. I suck in a heavy breath, but nothinges, so I suck it in again.


    ¡°Mrs. Staszek? Are you all right?¡± The nurse hurries from the living room to where I¡¯m hunched over the kitchen ind.


    He¡¯s leaving me.


    Left me.


    He¡¯s gone.


    The documents are divorce papers, a settlement package. I shove them all away from me.


    It¡¯s my fault.


    I¡¯ve ruined everything.


    And now I¡¯ve lost him.


    ¡°Oh.¡± The nurse puts down the note card after reading it. ¡°Here, let¡¯s sit down.¡± She pulls out one of the kitchen stools and helps me to sit down. ¡°It¡¯s all right. Don¡¯t worry.¡± She runs her hand in circles on my back.


    ¡°It¡¯s not all right,¡± I say, grabbing the notecard again and rereading it. He¡¯s given me exactly what I said I wanted.


    Only I don¡¯t want it anymore.


    My temper tantrum the night of the opening was just that, a tantrum. I was acting from anger, from confusion over everything I had been feeling. Because I don¡¯t want to be apart from him.


    Not ever.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my phone?¡± I ask.


    ¡°The house phone?¡±


    ¡°No, my phone,¡± I demand with an open hand. I haven¡¯t seen it since I got home. Lena¡¯s been by a few times with Kasia; neither of them said anything to me about this. None of them said Jakub was doing this.


    They must have thought I was such a stupid woman.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think your phone is here. Mr. Staszek didn¡¯t give it to me,¡± the nurse tells me.


    I touch my temples, reminding myself to breathe, staying calm will get me through this.


    I shove the papers away. No fucking way I¡¯m signing those.


    ¡°I need a car. Can you do that? Did Jakub leave someone to drive me?¡± I get off the stool. I need to find him.


    He¡¯s probably at the club; I¡¯ll go there first.


    ¡°No, Mrs. Staszek. He said you weren¡¯t going anywhere; you are supposed to stay home and rest.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not happening. Call me a cab.¡± I stop, clench my jaw. ¡°No, no. Get one of the guys downstairs toe up here. Tell them they need to drive me somewhere.¡±


    She looks at the elevator and pales slightly.


    ¡°They won¡¯t hurt you. Just tell them to figure out who¡¯s driving. I¡¯ll be down in ten minutes.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡± She goes to the elevator while I start the painful task of climbing the stairs.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    I need a shower first. My arm will need a new bandage, but I can do it quickly. I can¡¯t wait around here for Jakub toe home, because obviously he¡¯s not willing to do that.


    * * *


    Jakub is at Lena¡¯s condo.


    Nora didn¡¯t want to tell me at first, but she wasn¡¯t too hard to convince.


    ¡°He¡¯s being stupid. He¡¯s at his sister¡¯s.¡± Nora dug out the address for me and thrust it forward. ¡°Just don¡¯t tell him I snitched. He¡¯s been a real bastard these past few days. Probably because he¡¯s trying to convince himself he¡¯s doing the right thing.¡± She frowned. ¡°Which he¡¯s not. You know that, right? You two need each other.¡±


    I took the address from her. ¡°I fucked up, Nora.¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Who hasn¡¯t. He¡¯s stubborn. You have to be more so.¡±


    Once I knew where he was, I made his soldier take me straight to Lena and Micah¡¯s condo.


    ¡°Did you talk to him?¡± I ask the driver. He¡¯s a young guy. Probably drew the short straw and that¡¯s how he got stuck with me.


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am. I didn¡¯t tell him you wereing.¡±


    I look at him once more. ¡°Maybe go park. I could be a while.¡± I climb out of the car, wincing at the pain in my ribs, and head for the entrance.


    Micah is walking across the lobby when I enter through the rotating doors. His immediate reaction is a scowl.


    ¡°Nicole.¡± He hurries to me. ¡°What are you doing out?¡± He looks me over. ¡°You¡¯re still hurting.¡±


    ¡°Is he up there?¡± Of course I¡¯m hurting, but it¡¯s not the physical pain sucking the life from my heart.

 111

    Micah¡¯s expression softens. ¡°He is.¡±


    ¡°I need to see him. I know I messed up, but he should at least talk to me.¡±


    His brows furrow. ¡°What do you mean you messed up?¡±


    I shake my head. I don¡¯t have the energy to go through it all. ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡±


    ¡°I have a feeling it¡¯s not asplicated as you think.¡± He nces at the bandage on my left arm. While I was half dragging Joseph from the warehouse, I managed to get a burn that will most likely leave a nasty scar. But at least Joseph escaped without more injury than his leg.


    ¡°I need to see him.¡±


    He gives a curt nod. ¡°Of course.¡± He pulls a business card from the inside of his suit jacket and pen. After scribbling something down he hands it to me. ¡°Here¡¯s the code to get into the condo. I¡¯ll text Lena and let her know you¡¯re on your way up.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I take the card.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him off the hook so easy, understand?¡± He points a finger at me with the look of authority I¡¯ve seen too many times on Jakub¡¯s face.


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± I vow. After I¡¯m done yelling at him for just abandoning me, I¡¯ll apologize. Maybe I should start with apologizing? I mean, it was my fault. I did tell him I wanted out, I said we were over.


    ¡°Good.¡± He checks his watch. ¡°I need to go, but Lena can get a hold of me if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Thank you, Micah.¡±


    Once inside the elevator, I punch in the secret code then hug the envelope with the papers to my chest. These men and their security codes, it¡¯s getting to be a bit much. But after seeing what his enemies are capable of, I suppose they serve their purpose.


    As the elevator glides up to the top floor, my stomach twitches. What if he doesn¡¯t want me? What if this is his way of getting rid of me, and I¡¯m being a crazy bitch who won¡¯t let go?


    By the time the elevatores to a stop, I¡¯m in full panic mode. Maybe I¡¯m doing the wrong thing. But before I can make my escape, the doors slide open and Jakub is standing in the foyer with his fists on his hips. ¡°What the hell are you doing out of bed?¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± I step off the elevator, my misgivings dashed with his rage-filled re.


    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be moving around this much, Nicole. Little movements,¡± he continues to lecture me. From the right corner of my eye, I see Lena peek out at us from the living room. She ducks back in when she meets my gaze.


    ¡°And you¡¯re not supposed to move in with your sister while your wife is recovering from a car ident and attempted murder by aplete psychopath, but here we are!¡± I dump the envelope on therge table ced in the center of the foyer. A vase with bright blue flowers wobbles at the force.


    His eyes move to the envelope and his anger cracks. ¡°You got the papers.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You coward. I got them.¡± I fist my hands and put them on my hips. The movement takes my breath away for a split second.


    ¡°Coward?¡± His voice is raw while his eyes fill with confusion.


    ¡°Yeah. I know I fucked up, Jakub. I never should have left the apartment that night. I should have waited for you toe home to yell at you for being an overbearing asshole. I know that. And I was telling the driver to take me back home when it became apparent we weren¡¯t going to the airport. I wanted to go home. I didn¡¯t want to leave.¡± I point at the papers spilled out of the envelope. ¡°But apparently, I should have.¡±


    A sob catches me off guard. I was angry when I saw the papers at first, hurt, and mad. But now, seeing him standing right in front of me, the size of this hits me. He¡¯s stayed away from our home since I was released from the hospital. He¡¯s been talking towyers to end things between us. This has been his priority.


    ¡°I know you didn¡¯t mean it when you agreed to make our marriage temporary. I know you only did that because I never would have agreed if you hadn¡¯t. But even when I let myself pretend this wasn¡¯t a real thing, our marriage wasn¡¯t real, you told me you¡¯d never let me go. You swore I was yours forever. But I guess you were lying. Just saying what you needed to say so you got what you wanted.¡±


    His jaw clenches.


    ¡°You think this is what I want?¡± He picks up the papers and throws them back down. ¡°This is for you. You¡¯ll never have a normal life married to me. There will always be an enemy. Always. You were right.¡±


    Hot tears roll down my cheeks. All the stupid pain meds have me loopy, and I can¡¯t control my feelings. I can¡¯t stop them from showing all over my face.


    ¡°You think being without you is better?¡± My throat closes around the words. That can¡¯t be true, it isn¡¯t true.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s safer,¡± he says, taking a small step in my direction. He¡¯s wearing a pair of jeans and a light gray t-shirt. Dark circles sag beneath his silver blue eyes, making him look older. His hair is soft. Without any product in it, it hangs haphazardly around, pointing in all directions.


    I take a step to him, grabbing his arms. ¡°Do you love me?¡±


    His eyes fly to mine, widening with my question.


    ¡°Do you?¡± I ask, shaking him a little. Well, attempting to. The man is too bulky, even with his lean physique for me to do much damage.


    ¡°Of course I do.¡± He says it real low, like admitting such a dark secret could get us both killed.


    He wraps his hands around the back of my neck, his thumbs trace my jawline. Even with the roughness of the action, he¡¯s gentle as he holds me. As though I¡¯m breakable. Doesn¡¯t he know how much strength he gives me?


    ¡°I love you, Nicole.¡± He brings his forehead to mine. His lips are so close, it hurts to be so close and not touching.


    ¡°I love you too, Jakub.¡± I move my hands from his arms, to his neck, holding onto him the same way he is me. ¡°I don¡¯t want to choose safe over love. I don¡¯t want to choose anything over you.¡± More tears roll down my cheeks.


    These damn meds.


    He catches my tears with his thumbs and rubs them away. ¡°You didn¡¯t sign the papers, I take it?¡± he asks, running his thumb across my lip.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky I didn¡¯t burn the ce down just to see those destroyed.¡±


    ¡°My family is lucky. You would have destroyed hundreds of thousands of dors in product, and probably set us up for some federal prison time.¡± He¡¯s half smiling.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you divorce me,¡± I say firmly; there¡¯s no joking in my tone.


    He closes his eyes, takes in a deep breath then his lips spread wide into his arrogant possessive grin, sending the butterflies in my stomach into a flurry.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°So never try that again,¡± I say, uncertainty filling me. He¡¯s never been sopliant before.


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± He tilts my head back. ¡°This marriage has no exits,¡± he says and presses his lips to mine. A simple kiss, but it brings me back to the first time. How easily he swept me off my feet and spun my world out of control. My toes curl, my fingers dig into his neck, I want more than a kiss. I want every bit of him. But when he tightens his hold on me, my ribs remind me breathing isn¡¯t as easy as it was before.


    He pulls away quickly. ¡°Shit. Are you okay?¡± He searches me as though any injury I have will signal to him.


    I take a slow breath. ¡°I¡¯m perfect, Jakub.¡± I have him, nothing else matters. I didn¡¯t ruin the one good thing I have in my life.


    He frowns. ¡°You need to be home rxing. What am I paying that nurse for if she lets you wander the city like this?¡± He lets me go.


    ¡°Well, she saw the papers and sort of sided with me,¡± I exin.


    ¡°Lena!¡± He calls for his sister who pops out of the living room in a pair of yoga pants and long t-shirt. Her long blonde hair is pulled into high ponytail. The woman has such an easy beauty to her. ¡°I¡¯m taking Nicole home. I¡¯ll send someone for my stuff.¡±


    She beams at us. ¡°No problem.¡±


    He points at the pile of papers on the table. ¡°And burn those fucking things for me.¡±


    She nods. ¡°Absolutely. I told you, you were being stupid.¡±


    Iugh at the absurd glower he¡¯s trying to give his sister. Lena doesn¡¯t fall for it in the least and merely waltzes to the table and scoops up the offensive documents.


    Moving makes me wince again.


    Jakub turns his frown on me. ¡°Let¡¯s go. You need to get back in bed.¡±


    ¡°Being in bed isn¡¯t good-¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll discuss you being goodter, right now you need rest,¡± he says, purposely misunderstanding me. ¡°Did you take a driver or a cab?¡± he asks as we step into the elevator together.


    ¡°A driver. One of your guys from downstairs. He looked a little scared, so you might want to forgive him quick, so he doesn¡¯t piss himself when he sees you.¡±


    He cradles me against his chest as the elevator slips down to the lobby.


    ¡°Forgive him? I¡¯m going to give him a fucking bonus for getting you here to me.¡± He kisses me again, harsh and demanding. ¡°I hope you heal fast.¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Me too,¡± I say.


    He raises his brow. ¡°You may change your mind when you remember all the things you said to me, and then there was the running away¡­ you have quite the punishmenting your way.¡±


    The elevator doors open, and he helps me step out.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take whatever you dish out,¡± I promise him.


    And heughs.

 112

    Jakub


    ¡°We have to be careful about this.¡± Dominik stalks behind his desk. ¡°We don¡¯t want an all-out war.¡±


    ¡°They took my wife and our father, and you want to tread lightly?¡± I demand.


    ¡°Dominik¡¯s right.¡± Joseph, who sits beside me, ces a shaky hand on my arm. He¡¯s still not fully healed from his ordeal. Crutches weren¡¯t an option for his broken leg, so he¡¯s wheelchair bound for the time being. But it¡¯s the oxygen tube tucked into his nostrils that worries me the most.


    Worries all of us.


    ¡°We have to give them a chance,¡± Dominik insists, pressing his fist into his desk and leaning over. He has his head of the family expression on; he¡¯s not acting as my big brother right now. ¡°Christian assures me he had no idea Piotr was acting against us. He¡¯s as infuriated with his cousin as we are. The fact Piotr is hiding gives me confidence Christian is telling the truth.¡±


    ¡°Those two have fought since they were boys. Having to split the family as they did was a bad idea.¡± Joseph continues with the excuses for not hunting down everyst Kaczmarek and dealing a fatal blow to their organization.


    Killing Henry didn¡¯t satisfy my hunger for retribution. It went too quickly. Seeing him make his way from the fire, seeing his gun in his hand while I was holding my wife bleeding and coughing herself unconscious-I didn¡¯t have time to enjoy it when he fell dead to the ground. But Piotr-I¡¯ll take my time with him.


    If we ever find him. After making the call to Dominik about Henry¡¯s actions, he fell off the face of the earth.


    ¡°So, we do nothing?¡± How can we do nothing after their attack? ¡°We¡¯ll be seen as weak! Do you want other families to think they can do this to us? Try to move into our territory, hurt our families and there¡¯s no retribution?¡±


    Joseph squeezes my arm and takes a deep breath.


    The only good thing to havee out of this entire debacle is my father was forced in front of a doctor. After they sorted out his broken leg, they did tests to check for smoke inhtion damage. It¡¯s then they found the cause for all his coughing and shortness of breath recently. He¡¯ll be using oxygen for a long time. Being a smoker for three decades before he finally quit five years ago damaged his lungs. Thankfully they didn¡¯t find a tumor, but COPD is bad enough.


    With his new diagnosis, he¡¯s giving more control over to Dominik.


    ¡°There will be retaliation, Jakub,¡± he assures me with a wobbly smile. ¡°There will be.¡±


    ¡°When? I want to be involved. They hurt my wife!¡±


    Dominik shares a look with my father.


    ¡°Dominik. Leave us a minute.¡± Joseph waves my older brother from his own office. ¡°Go see if Kasia has my sandwich ready.¡±


    After he was discharged from the hospital, Kasia refused to let him go home by himself. He¡¯ll be staying here at Dominik¡¯s for a while.


    Dominik closes the door behind him softly, leaving me and my father alone.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I ask, turning to him. He looks so much older now; maybe it¡¯s the oxygen tube in his nose. Or the heaviness around his eyes. He¡¯s not sleeping well with the breathing machine at night.


    ¡°You think because I put Dominik in control of the family, because we¡¯ve keep you more on the outside of things, I don¡¯t respect you. That we don¡¯t see you as an equal.¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    My jaw tightens. ¡°I¡¯ve neverined.¡±


    ¡°No. No, you haven¡¯t, but you¡¯re my son. And you have your mother in you. She was no good at hiding her thoughts from me either. I know you, Jakub.¡± He wags a finger at me. ¡°Your mother died when you were young. Dominik has had to grow up much faster because of it. You took the responsibility of watching out for your sister and he took the responsibility of learning the business.¡±


    ¡°I know all of this already.¡± I feel more like a petnt child at this moment than ever in my life.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t know why.¡± He coughs a bit, pointing his finger at me when I lean toward him. The stubborn goat will take no support from us at all.


    ¡°Dominik is older,¡± I answer for him while he catches his breath.


    ¡°No.¡± He shakes his hand. ¡°I mean yes, he is, and he was always going to be my next in charge. But we keep you as far from the dirty business as possible because you have a head for business. Legitimate business, Jakub. Look at the clubs.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re bars and dance clubs. So what?¡±


    ¡°So, your brother and I couldn¡¯t run them like you do. You keep the legitimate businesses running so smooth it makes us profits that keep us mostly ignored by the feds.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re protecting the businesses?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m protecting you.¡± He leans back in his chair. ¡°I spent months exiled in Pnd with your sister because the feds went digging. It could have cost me a lot of years behind bars.¡± He takes another breath. ¡°I¡¯d be missing everything.¡±


    ¡°I figured you just didn¡¯t think I could be as good as Dominik at this.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. You¡¯re smart. My boys can handle anything given to them.¡±


    ¡°So, you want me not to get my retribution for what the Kaczmareks did to Nicole?¡±


    ¡°I want you to trust your brother will handle it. When the timees, you¡¯ll be there.¡±


    Dominik will deal with it in his own way, I have no doubt about that. But Nicole is mine.


    ¡°It will make me look weak if they get away with this. Nicole is my wife. My responsibility.¡±


    ¡°She is, yes.¡± Joseph nods. ¡°You¡¯ll get your retribution. I agree with Dominik, Christian is telling us the truth about Piotr. More than likely, he will be dealt with from within their family. And then they¡¯ll me us.¡±


    ¡°But since it helps us both, no war.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Joseph pats my arm. ¡°You focus on your wife. She deserves a good life, Jakub.¡±


    Staying out of the Staszek dirty business keeps Nicole safe. Not only from fallout, but also from having to watch me carted off to jail if the feds ever get something real to pin on us.


    ¡°Let your brother get his hands dirty.¡± Joseph smiles. ¡°You both have your strengths. Use yours to make me the richest bastard in the world before I finally keel over.¡±


    I roll my eyes. ¡°Now you get dramatic.¡±


    ¡°Not dramatic. Look at me, for Christ¡¯s sake.¡± He lifts the oxygen tube running from his nose to the tank behind his chair.


    ¡°The Kaczmareks will pay?¡± I want a promise. Leaving the details in their hands is fine, so long as every bit of retribution is received.


    ¡°This will not go unanswered,¡± he promises.


    Odds are good Piotr will be hunted down by his cousin first. More agreements, movement of territory lines, and it will all be over. It should enrage me, but then I think of Nicole.


    She deserves not to have to look over her shoulder every time she leaves the apartment. She shouldn¡¯t have to have ¡®babysitters¡¯ everywhere she goes. With an agreement for peace, she can have all of that. And even though she could be a target if we piss off enough families, she has more safety with my name than danger.


    ¡°Now.¡± Joseph ys with the joystick of his chair and maneuvers to turn around. I don¡¯t even try to help him; I¡¯ve been cursed at too many times to not have learned by now. ¡°All of my children are settled in their marriages. I expect grandchildren now, Jakub.¡± He points at me then wheels toward the door.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure something can be arranged.¡± I open the office door for him, and he wheels out.


    ¡°Grandchildren! A whole house full!¡± he yells while slowly rolling down the hall, probably in search of his lunch. Kasia will have her hands full with him living here for the time being, but she¡¯s dealt with Dominik well enough. She can handle Joseph.


    My phone buzzes. It¡¯s Nicole.


    She wants me to pick up coffee for her on the way home. It¡¯ll take me an hour to get home with traffic at this time of day. Why Dominik insists on living way out in the burbs when the city is so much more alive, I¡¯ll never understand.


    But Nicole wants coffee.


    And I want Nicole to have everything.

 113

    Nicole


    It¡¯s been a week since myst doctor appointment where I was given the all clear for any and all physical activities. I¡¯m going to crawl out of my skin if Jakub doesn¡¯t act soon.


    For thest six weeks he¡¯s been relentless with figuring out the perfect amount of overbearing I¡¯ll tolerate. Turns out I can deal with a lot of his overprotective ways. Except this one.


    He¡¯s locked away my vibrator along with all of his little toys. Under the pretense he wants me to rest and not overextend myself, he¡¯s demanded I remain chaste while I heal. I tried once to take liberties with my fingers, thinking I¡¯d be quiet and he¡¯d never find out. But that man is like a hound when ites to me stepping one toe over the line. He walked into our bedroom, marched straight over to the bed where I¡¯d been tucked away to rest, and yanked back the covers. His lips went thin and his eyebrow arched to a perfect peak when he found my hand stuffed down my panties between my thighs. At record speed he had my wrists bound to the bed on either side of me. I had just enough room to befortable and not hurt my ribs, but not enough ck to be able to touch myself. I haven¡¯t made any attempts since.


    ¡°Have anything nned for today?¡± Jakub, my husband who has to have the worst case of blue balls by now, asks with his easy demeanor as he cruises into the kitchen.


    I swallow down thest bite of scrambled eggs from my te.


    ¡°I want to go back to work,¡± I say, watching his expression. This statement has to get some sort of rise out of him. Work has been another of his hardline issues.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s a good idea. You¡¯ve been lounging around here long enough,¡± he says while dropping a piece of rye bread into the toaster.


    ¡°Lounging?¡± I drop my fork to the te. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t¡­ you know what¡­ never mind.¡± I pick up my dirty dishes and bring them to the sink. ¡°I¡¯ll call Nora and see when she wants me. And where. Or should I get a new job?¡±


    I have been gone for nearly two months now. Surely she¡¯s reced me.


    ¡°You want to work somewhere else?¡± He has this casual thing going this morning that¡¯s making my panties more damp than usual when he¡¯s hanging around. His jeans hang loose on his hips without his belt, and the t-shirt he¡¯s wearing hugs his biceps in an intimate way that makes me envious.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I force myself to stay on topic. Maybe he¡¯s waiting for me to make a move, maybe I¡¯ve been selfish waiting for him to get all animalistic on me like he used to. Things have calmed now, maybe he¡¯s settling into our marriage.


    We¡¯ve be an old married couple already?


    ¡°Well.¡± He breathes out hard and grabs the toasted bread, dropping the slice onto a small te. ¡°Before you can go back to work or do anything outside this apartment we need to talk.¡±


    I lean a hip against the counter, watching him spread the butter across his toast. Even strokes, light but firm.


    ¡°Okay. About what?¡± My nipples tighten when he brings his middle finger to his mouth and licks off the bit of butter smeared there.


    He drops the knife into the sink.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re all healed up and the doctor has given you the all clear for physical activities, I think we can finally deal with your attitude and disobedience.¡± He takes a bite of the toast, smiling at me while he chews. A crumb rests on the corner of his mouth, his kissable mouth.


    ¡°My attitude?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You know, the night you yelled at me, threatened to leave, and then you did just that. Crawled out the fire escape?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re bringing that up?¡± I cross my arms over my chest, hiding my breasts. The thin material of the summer dress isn¡¯t going to hide these nipples for long.


    ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t?¡± He raises his brows at me.


    ¡°I thought you would let it drop considering all that happened. Plus, I did save your father¡¯s life.¡± It¡¯s a card I wasn¡¯t nning to y so soon, but if he has his way and actually punishes me, he won¡¯t give me what my body craves. He¡¯ll want to make a point.


    He stares at me a long minute without blinking before a grin cracks through and heughs.


    ¡°I suppose I can¡¯t really whip your ass for that then.¡± He wipes his hands on a towel and grabs hold of my arms. ¡°I¡¯ll just whip your ass because I¡¯ve been waiting weeks to get my hands on you again.¡±


    The yfulness dancing in his eyes has my stomach turning over again. If he¡¯s teasing me, I may actually have to hurt him.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll do more than just kiss me and send me to bed?¡± I ask in all seriousness. Because if I get one more goodnight kiss without anything else, I¡¯m going to scream.


    ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± He nods. ¡°Now, lose the dress.¡± He plucks the neckline of my dress with his middle finger.


    ¡°Here?¡± I look around as though we might not be alone. I¡¯m not sure exactly what¡¯s happened with him and his father, but the warehouse has been less and less busy downstairs. Less men, less boxes, less machinery. He tells me not to worry; everything is how it should be.


    ¡°Would you rather we go downstairs?¡± he teases. ¡°I think there¡¯s a small crew down there this morning.¡±


    My face heats immediately. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    ¡°You meant, shouldn¡¯t we go to the bedroom?¡±


    I nod, my tongue suddenly too heavy to form words appropriately.


    ¡°Why do that when the right equipment is right here.¡± He reaches behind him to the canister holding the cooking utensils. Grabbing a wooden spoon, he points at me. ¡°Out of that dress.¡±


    An electric shiver courses through my body. The firmness in his tone wraps around my body. His authority, his confidence creates an even hum inside of my mind. I don¡¯t need to worry about anything. Right now. This moment. Jakub is inplete control.

 114

    All I have to do is give over and he¡¯ll give me everything.


    It takes two swipes of my hands across my shoulders to shove the straps down my arms. The cotton dress pools at my feet, leaving me standing naked in the kitchen. I steady my gaze on his and flick the dress out of the way with my foot.


    There¡¯s a twitch to his grin. As much as he loves to see me bend to his will, the man gets even harder when I¡¯m strong for him. And by the stiff rod pressing against his jeans right now, I¡¯d say he¡¯s pretty damn happy with me.


    ¡°No bra or panties?¡± He points to my bare breasts with the spoon. ¡°Were you hoping for something?¡±


    I roll my shoulders back and stand tall. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d finally stop treating me like a piece of fragile ss.¡±


    His eyes narrow on me, while his tongue slips between his full lips. This might not be good. He¡¯s thinking of devious things to do to me.


    ¡°Touch your pussy for me. Show me how wet you are,¡± he orders, waving the spoon around like it¡¯s a damn wand. Hell, maybe it is, because without much thought at all, I¡¯m obeying his every word.


    Gently, I push my fingers between my legs, feeling the hot wetness of my pussy. I brush over my clit and I can¡¯t help but sigh at the gloriousness of it.


    ¡°Let me see,¡± he orders, tapping my hand with the spoon.


    I clench my teeth-any backtalk now will not go well for me-and hold out my hand. The sun rays from the kitchen window catch my fingertips, and my pussy juices glisten.


    He steps close enough to me I can inhale his aftershave. It¡¯s all spice and musk. With his eyes aimed at me, he grabs my wrist and brings my wet fingers to his lips. I watch, unable not to, as his tongue runs over my flesh, licking one finger then the other, before putting both fingers into his mouth. My toes curl when he sucks.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I mutter. I¡¯m going toe unglued just watching this man.


    His grin tells me he¡¯s well aware of his effect on me.


    Taking the spoon in both hands, he holds it to my mouth, with the wooden handle horizontal. ¡°Open.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡± I ask, pulling back a bit.


    ¡°Tsk. Tsk. Being a good girl means doing without asking. Now open. Your. Mouth.¡±


    As soon as my lips are parted, he shoves the handle between my teeth.


    ¡°Hold onto this. If you drop it, you¡¯ll get a dozen on each cheek.¡± He grabs my chin and pushes my head back, hovering an inch from my nose. A jolt of arousal dances down my spine and straight to my clit. Every time he uses that tone, it¡¯s like he¡¯s ying with my clit.


    I nod, because I¡¯m not sure I could withstand any punishment at this moment.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± He grabs my shoulders and spins me around so I¡¯m facing the kitchen ind. With one hand t between my shoulder des, he presses me downward until my breasts are t against the countertop. The chill of the counter does nothing to cool the heat my arousal is creating, and the new sensation against my nipples ramps up my need for his touch.


    His zipper is undone, and his jeans fall away, leaving his hard cock against my bare ass.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t felt you in weeks.¡± He runs the fat head of his cock through my ass cheeks, which has me clenching. I¡¯m not ready for that right now. It¡¯s been too long.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re not going there right now. Because right now, I¡¯m going to fuck you so damn hard and fast I¡¯d probably tear you in half if I fuck your ass.¡±


    The tip of his cock presses against my pussy entrance, and I move my leg enough to give him easier ess. I have everything to win with mypliance.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± He grabs my hip with one hand and then with the other he cups my shoulder, right by my neck. ¡°y with your clit, Nicole. Just like you wanted to for the past six weeks.¡±


    Immediately, I slip my hand between my legs. Another sigh escapes me the moment I touch the swollen bundle of nerves that have long been ignored.


    With one hard thrust, he¡¯s inside me, stretching me with his cock. At this angle, I can feel his dick in ways I haven¡¯t before. It¡¯s like every bit of my body is being stroked by his cock. Another hard thrust and the edge of the countertop digs into my stomach.


    ¡°You were a good girl for me and didn¡¯t y with your pussy when I told you not to, right?¡± he asks, though his tone sounds strained, raw.


    I shake my head. If I talk, I could drop the spoon. And there¡¯s no way I¡¯m giving him a reason to leave me wanting right now. My fingers glide over my slippery, swollen clit while his cock plows harder and harder into me.


    His fingers dig into my shoulder and hip. The pressure builds in my belly to an unbearable point. I buck back at him, needing him to fuck me harder. To make it hurt until it feels good.


    ¡°Dammit, Nicole,¡± he grunts behind me, and his cock plows forward hitting the very center of me before he slowly drags himself backward.


    ¡°Please!¡± I beg him, careful to keep my teeth nted around the spoon. ¡°Jakub. Please!¡±


    ¡°Fuck, yes. Now, Nicole.¡± His fingernails dig into my shoulder, and it¡¯s thatst bit of pain throwing me over the edge. sts of pleasure bombard my mind. My body spirals out of control and without any thought or remorse, I scream as the waves of my release wash over me.


    I¡¯m going to explode. My body can¡¯t possibly hold this intensity inside of it.


    ¡°Fuck! Fuck!¡± Jakub lets go of my shoulder and holds onto my waist with both hands. He¡¯s fucking me even harder, faster still until his own release catches up with mine.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    I recover before Jakub and move my hand from between my legs to the counter. Plucking the spoon from my mouth, I work my jaw open and closed. It¡¯s gotten stiff.


    Slowly he leans forward over my body and presses a trail of kisses along my shoulder to my neck. He takes extra care to kiss the spots where his fingernails bit into me. I hope I wear his mark for days.


    ¡°Are your ribs okay?¡± he asks, quickly pulling out of me and helping me stand up.


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± I assure him, rolling my shoulders back and stretching my back. It¡¯s not such easy work being bent over and fucked with the passion Jakub does. But it¡¯s worth every ache and pain.


    ¡°Okay.¡± He sighs and pulls up his jeans. ¡°Good.¡± He grabs the spoon from the countertop. ¡°Because I told you not to drop this.¡±

 115

    Nicole


    A yearter


    ¡°Push!¡± Jakub orders with the same low-toned, determined authority he always uses when he wants mypliance. But in this instance, I have no chance of disobeying him. Not even to see him turn a light shade of red before he realizes I¡¯m messing with him.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing great, Mrs. Staszek. One more push,¡± the doctor, squatting in his catcher¡¯s position between my legs, encourages me.


    ¡°You can do it,¡± Lena shouts from the far corner of the delivery room.


    I grit my teeth and bear down, giving it everything I have until finally the doctor tells me to stop.


    I fall back on the bed, taking a deep breath. My face is covered with sweat, my hair is stuck to my cheek, but Jakub dutifully wipes it away.


    ¡°It¡¯s a boy!¡± the doctor announces and then the most beautiful sound in the world erupts as our son bursts into the world with a cry.


    Iugh. I¡¯m too tired to cry, but tears roll down my cheeks anyway. The nurse ces our baby on my chest and Jakub leans over me, inspecting him to be sure he¡¯s safe and sound.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sweetheart. He¡¯s your daddy,¡± I inform our little bundle of love. ¡°He¡¯s overbearing and overprotective, just get used to it,¡± I say but brush away Jakub¡¯s probing hands. ¡°Let the nurses check him over, Jakub.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s all right?¡± Jakub demands from the nurse who scoops up the baby to take him for a quick wipe down.


    ¡°They¡¯re just cleaning him up, he¡¯ll be right back,¡± I assure him, grabbing his hand and squeezing.


    He instantly turns his concern on me. ¡°You¡¯re all right?¡± He res at the doctor who is still in position between my legs doing who knows what. I can¡¯t feel a thing thanks to the epidural Jakub demanded I have the second we arrived at the hospital. Having such an overprotective husbandes in handy at times. Like when you¡¯re doubled over from a contraction and the anesthesiologist is taking his sweet time getting to your room. I think the hospital staff was put on high alert after Jakub ¡®took care¡¯ of getting the doctor to my room.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m fine,¡± I assure him, rolling my head to one side. I could sleep for a day, but I¡¯m too excited and too full of love to do anything but stare into my husband¡¯s loving eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯s so cute. He looks just like Jakub,¡± Lena announces while taking pictures between the nurses doing their work.


    ¡°Lena, leave them alone.¡± Kasia shoos Lena away. ¡°We¡¯ll get to see him in a second.¡±


    Micah and Dominik remain quiet, sitting in the corner of the delivery suite. Joseph slowly makes his way to my bedside, giving me a soft smile. He tucks his oxygen tube in ce while we wait for the nurse to bring our baby back to us.


    She finally does, and I¡¯m holding him. Everything that¡¯s important in the world, everything that will ever matter, is in this room right now with me. My baby, my husband, and my family.


    ¡°He got a name yet?¡± Joseph asks, pushing the little blue nket away from his face to get a better look at the baby.


    I nce at Jakub, then smile at Joseph.


    ¡°His name is Joseph Stanley Staszek,¡± I tell him.


    Joseph raises his eyes to mine and tears instantly fill his blue eyes. He sniffs then clears his throat before the emotion can run away with him.


    ¡°Good name.¡± He ps Jakub¡¯s back. ¡°Good name.¡± He shuffles back to his seat in the corner of the room.


    I still don¡¯t know how I got talked into letting the entire family into the birthing room, but here we are. All of us. One family.


    Jakub kisses me. ¡°I love you so fucking much, Nicole.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to watch your mouth around our son,¡± I tease as I ce a kiss to Joseph¡¯s little bald head. ¡°I love you, too, Jakub. So fucking much,¡± I add with augh.


    I hug my son to my chest while my husband crowds me and kisses my forehead again. This little boy has fully entranced me.


    Just like his daddy.


    I was destined for this moment with Jakub.


    From the very moment I was captivated by him.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The End of all three books. If you¡¯ve enjoyed reading this book do check my other works. My author name is Roxy, search for roxy and you¡¯ll get all my other books.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!